Bangkok state of emergency

[Guest Oogleman]

Urgent: State of emergency declared for Bangkok

 

The government Sunday afternoon announced the state of emergency for Bangkok and some districts in satellite provinces.

 

The government reasoned that protesters had committed violence in the areas so the government had to declare the state of emergency to restore normality in the areas.

 

The areas include some districts in Nonthaburi and Samut Prakan.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban will be chief enforcer of the state of emergency measures.

 

Police and soldiers as well as civil servants will assist Suthep in the operations to restore normality.

 

The Nation

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingne...red-for-Bangkok

[Gaybutton]

In a nutshell, Arisamun, the Red Shirt leader of the invasion of the Royal Cliff Hotel in Pattaya, has been arrested, which has triggered off rioting and more road blocking in Bangkok on the part of the Red Shirts at both the Interior Ministry and the courthouse at which Arisamun was taken for arraignment.

 

The Prime Minister is caught between a rock and a hard place. While he wants to avoid having to let loose the dogs on his own people, he also can't let mobs run amok and do anything they please, anywhere they please.

 

Of course, none of us have any idea how much longer all this is going to go on, but it seems as if the fuse has been lit and at any given moment the real explosion can come.

 

In my opinion, the Red Shirts are making a big mistake by this method of protest. They are demanding everything they want right now, and if they don't get what they want, without even negotiation, then they're prepared to virtually shut down entire cities in their effort to force the outcome their way. I think it's all going to backfire on them in the end, but we'll just have to wait and see.

 

What astounds me just as much is that so far I have neither seen nor heard about any kinds of warnings at all issued by any of the foreign embassies. While Pattaya is completely back to normal now (unless you're an employee at the Royal Cliff), Bangkok is once again in turmoil.

[Guest fountainhall]

So Thailand once again shoots itself in the foot and the world sees images of violence in the streets - only this time the shirts are coloured red. All of this could have been avoided with some simple security planning for the ASEAN summit. But that's the subject of another thread.

 

In my opinion, the Red Shirts are making a big mistake by this method of protest

 

Why? It's Abhisit who made the huge mistake by letting the red shirts succeed in killing the summit. Now they have tasted blood for almost the first time since the yellow shirts started their shenanigans. The yellow shirts helped create the conditions that led to the downfall of the then government. If I were a red shirt (which I emphatically am not!), why should I give up now when much larger prizes are on the horizon?

 

I think this whole mess is sheer lunacy. Everyone is to blame - and everyone is going to suffer. Except . .. maybe the Baht will decline in value!

[Guest Oogleman]

This is the real deal. BBC has footage of riots and the Govt have shut down most Red shirt tv links. Phoned a Thai friend who says Army are out in force.

 

Good luck Thailand - and stay safe all forum members.

[Gaybutton]

Why?

 

I think this whole mess is sheer lunacy. Everyone is to blame - and everyone is going to suffer. Except . .. maybe the Baht will decline in value!

I think you answer your own question here. I see what the Red Shirts are doing as something that will ultimately backfire on them for precisely the reason you state yourself. I think they are going to set the Thai economy on a much deeper downward spiral, if they haven't already done so, and their methods are going to result in cutting off their own nose to spite their face.

 

My "I Don't Get It" list includes a simple question. If the Prime Minister and government really do resign, then who's in charge? Alexander Haig? The Red Shirts want new elections since the current Prime Minister was not elected by the general populace, but exactly how will that be accomplished if there is no legitimate government at all?

 

With so many calls for Abhisit to step down, if he does, then who takes his place and who administers a new round of elections?

[Guest RichLB]

I've been thinking of what I would do if I were Abhisit. Clearly stepping down will not solve the problem as it will just result in either fueling the power of the Red Shirts or enraging the Yellow shirts. Calling for an election will most probably not accomplish much either as the last few times we have had elections have resulted in endless claims of voter fraud (paying off village leaders to deliver votes, handing out 2000 baht "stimulus" rewrds, etc. to secure votes). So. what to do? Here's my suggestion for Abhisit.

 

I would go back to the news footage and arrest several of the Red shirts on charges of breaking the law - AND I would arrest an equal number of Yellow Shirts for doing the same thing during the last demonstration fest. I would then conduct a dog and pony show telecast and publicized and proclaiming that Thailand cares about law and will enforce it. Hopefully, this will take the wind out of the sails of the demonstrators as both sides will have representatives on trial. I'd attempt to make this charade as dramatic as possible. The more publicity, the better - all under the guise of Thailand caring about the law.

 

Then assuming all suspects are convicted and sentenced, I would then pardon them all under the umbrella of maintaining national unity. Hopefully, these pardons will result in some desire for compromise and I would then begin a series of talks between the warring parties to develop a coalition and find a solution all would agree to.

 

And before the flames start, I know this is unlikely, but I fail to see any other solution available for the country. What would you guys do if you were in Abhisit's place?

[Gaybutton]

And before the flames start

Rest assured there will be no flames on this board. If anyone tries that, they'll be gone quickly. You are entitled to express your opinion without getting flamed for it and so is everyone else.

 

Also, you ask a legitimate question: "What would you guys do if you were in Abhisit's place?"

 

[Bob]

What would you guys do if you were in Abhisit's place?

 

I don't have a clue at this point in time - and, to me, that's the key: they've allowed this to go so nuts up until this point in time that there is no good or probably even so-so solution at hand.

 

As to your suggestion, Rich, that they arrest a certain number of people from both sides, I don't know if that would have worked some time ago but I feel it's way too late for that. Trying to arrest redshirt leaders now would involve immediate retaliation and substantial violence by the redshirts (plus I'd bet it'd take an army to get to their leaders at the moment).

 

 

[Guest fountainhall]

I would go back to the news footage and arrest several of the Red shirts on charges of breaking the law - AND I would arrest an equal number of Yellow Shirts for doing the same thing during the last demonstration fest. I would then conduct a dog and pony show telecast and publicized and proclaiming that Thailand cares about law and will enforce it. Hopefully, this will take the wind out of the sails of the demonstrators as both sides will have representatives on trial. I'd attempt to make this charade as dramatic as possible. The more publicity, the better - all under the guise of Thailand caring about the law

 

An eminently sensible suggestion - even if it does smack ever so slightly slightly of Stalinist show trials.

 

But - and it my book, it's a big BUT - as both english newspapers and several commentators have mentioned today, there's more here than just demonstrators. There's the police and the military units who presumably planned the security measures which failed so spectacularly. Why did they fail? The Royal Cliff is one of the easiest sites anywhere in the country to protect because it has just one access road. How is it that just a few hundred protestors were able to breach those defences with such apparent ease?

 

It cannot just be a case of those doing the guarding being told to avoid force against those doing the protesting. That's just too facile. After all, we're talking about security for more than a dozen of the world's top leaders, including China. I certainly would not like to have been a protester trying to get face to face with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, for his security detail would have nailed me to the ground, if not shot, before I got remotely close.

 

So it's fairly obvious that some people high up in the police and military were involved in giving orders to go easy on the red shirts. If Abhisit does not resign, these are the guys he now has to nail - and quickly. And these are the ones who should be first into the dock of public opinion,

[Guest GaySacGuy]

What would you guys do if you were in Abhisit's place?

 

That is a question that I would have answered several weeks ago if I was in his place. He seems to be trying to be the nice guy to everyone, and you can't run a country on a popularity contest!!!

 

At this point I am not sure there is a good answer!!

 

As to allowing the protesters into the Royal Cliff....just plain stupid. It is clear that army and security had no intention of keeping the red shirts out. It is clear that there was cooperation on both sides to allow their entry so smooth.

 

I wonder if the US Presient was present at this conference what might have happened??? Probably his secuirty detail would have seen a long time ahead that this wasn't going to work, and he would have either never arrived....or left very early.

 

It is too bad for the people of Thailand. They have my sympathy!!!!

[Gaybutton]

As to allowing the protesters into the Royal Cliff....just plain stupid.

One thing I believe all of us can agree on is that Abhisit's government grossly underestimated what the Red Shirts would do.

 

The following appears in the PATTAYA DAILY NEWS:

 

(for photos, see: http://www.pattayadailynews.com/shownews.p...NEWS=0000008896 )

_____

 

ARMOUR, TROOPS ON STREETS; GUNFIRE IN SCUFFLE AFTER PM DECLARES EMERGENCY

 

BANGKOK, April 12 -

 

Armoured military vehicles and soldiers have been deployed at 50 key locations in the capital as anti-government protests turn more violent and spread into several areas of Bangkok following the prime minister’s imposition of a State of Emergency.

Gunfire from unidentified sources was heard during a scuffle as the prime minister’s car left the Ministry of Interior Sunday afternoon.

 

Television footage showed protesters smashing the prime minister's car with clubs, iron bars, rocks, flower pots and bottles forcing the driver to take evasive action in the compound as protesters blocked all entrances. The car's window was shattered.

 

Army spokesman Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the military's presence is meant to restore order, after red-shirted anti-government protesters stormed into the ministry compound, and local television showed pictures of the mob armed with poles and paving slabs smashing a car they believed carried the prime minister.

 

However, Niphon Prompan, the premier's secretary-general, was seriously hurt in the incident and being detained by the protesters, according to Supachai Jaisamut, interior ministry spokesman.

 

Mr. Abhisit escaped unharmed and he later told reporters that he was safe but one of his security guards was nabbed by the protesters.

 

When the prime minister departed the interior ministry, a driver in another car was seriously injured after being beaten by the protesters.

 

He said he had not fired at the protesters but the gunshot was heard after the protesters tried to grab a gun from him.

 

Another security officer was handcuffed by the protesters and was taken to the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) encampment at Government House.

 

Mr. Abhisit urged the protester to release his man and allow him to seek treatment at hospital.

 

The premier Sunday afternoon declared a State of Emergency in the capital and five neighbouring provinces.

 

Effective immediately, the state of emergency is imposed in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom and Ayutthaya provinces because a group of people are inciting unrest.

 

It will be implemented by Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, Mr. Abhisit said.

 

He said the government deemed it necessary to declare the state of emergency before the situation worsen.

 

Under the order, gatherings of more than five people are prohibited, the press is not allowed to present news reports which could incite worry among to the public. The order also allows the public to be evacuated from areas considered to be risky.

 

- (TNA)

 

[Guest pingalicker]

What is being shown in USA: CNN (every 30 minutes) is showing footage of the PM's car being pelted by the red shirts with flower pots etc. The news reporter starts out with "And look at this!".

[Gaybutton]

CNN (every 30 minutes) is showing footage of the PM's car being pelted by the red shirts with flower pots etc.

That's it, then. Once again you can kiss the tourist industry goodbye. That's what people will see all over the world. People who don't know what it's really like over here would be nuts to plan a trip here, especially in light of the airport takeover before. I would never plan a trip to Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, or any other country portrayed as unsafe. For all I know, maybe it would be perfectly safe to go to some countries, but like most people I only know what I see on the news. For most people who don't live in Thailand, what they see on the news is also all they know. Why would they come here? For what?

 

The major loss already for Thailand, according to the news, is the loss of Chinese tourists. That alone will cause a major impact on the tourist industry.

 

Pattaya was counting on a major influx of tourists for Songkran. Based on the news reports I've been reading, finding hotel space in Pattaya during Songkran won't exactly be a problem. It's really a shame. The tourist industry is predicting a 200-billion baht loss as a result of all this. That's US $6-billion. The tourist industry in Pattaya was just beginning to see a recovery when all this got started. Now they're saying it will be at least two years before they see any signs of recovery again. A lot of businesses went under following the airport seizure. Now that things are getting violent, it's anybody's guess as to what will happen now.

[Guest GaySacGuy]

There is certainly no way to know the future...But with the current conditions, it looks to me like it will get worse (perhaps a lot worse) before it gets better or even close to being solved!