Gaybutton Posted April 21, 2009 Posted April 21, 2009 "It ain't over 'till it's over" - Yogi Berra The following appears in the BANGKOK POST: _____ New Rally Cited as Reason to Prolong State of Emergency By: AFP Published: 21/04/2009 The weekend rally planned by anti-government protesters will prolong the state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding areas, a government minister said on Tuesday. Supporters of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra have announced they will regroup on Saturday in Samut Sakon, outside the emergency zone, after rallies in Bangkok ended last week following street battles between demonstrators and armed troops. PM's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey said the protest in Samut Sakhon province, 36 kilometres outside Bangkok, would only worsen the political turmoil. "The government is ready to deal with any chaos, but this rally will affect the government's decision when to lift the state of emergency,'' Mr Sathit told reporters. ''This is bad news for our country because it will worsen the crisis. They [Thaksin's supporters] should rely on the parliament, as the government plans charter amendments as demanded by the protesters,'' he said. On Monday Jakrapob Penkair, a fugitive senior member of United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, told news agencies the pro-Thaksin UDD would continue its campaign against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. Mr Jakrapob has fled the country to evade warrants for this arrest. "We have developed some strategies,'' Mr Jakrapob told AFP in a telephone call diverted by an assistant to avoid detection. The red-shirts shut down an Asian summit in Pattaya on April 11 and then clashed with troops in Bangkok on two days later. Two people were confirmed killed, in clashes between local residents and rampaging protesters, and 123 injured in the unrest in the capital. The protesters continue to demand Mr Abhisit's resignation, claiming he came to power unfairly in December after a court removed Thaksin's allies from government. ____________________ The Pattaya Police have issued an arrest warrant for Thaksin, on charges of inciting the Royal Cliff Hotel rioting. Quote
Guest Oogleman Posted April 21, 2009 Posted April 21, 2009 Samut Sakon Stadium - 6pm to midnight. Video show of brutality by troops included. This is whats planned, but im sure they will find a way/law to stop it as Newin and Suthep feature in their videos. Meanwhile the government plans to give 1 million CDs away free to citizens to tell the truth about the troubles. Quote
Gaybutton Posted April 21, 2009 Author Posted April 21, 2009 Meanwhile the government plans to give 1 million CDs away free to citizens to tell the truth about the troubles. Truth? Is there such a thing in any of this? I can't figure out who the good guys and bad guys are anymore. I'm not sure there are any good guys at all. Without even seeing the CD, I'd say a good bet is it's going to amount to nothing more than anti-Thaksin propaganda. The Yellow Shirts will watch it and say 'that's right!' The Red Shirts will probably hang them from their rear view mirrors. It would be very interesting to have a crystal ball capable of seeing how all this will eventually play out. Quote
Gaybutton Posted April 24, 2009 Author Posted April 24, 2009 The following appears in THE NATION: _____ RED SHIRTS' RALLY Reds to Rally at Royal Plaza Published on April 25, 2009 The red-shirt movement yesterday announced it would stage a rally at the Royal Plaza today, in what was an immediate response to the government's revocation of the emergency decree in Bangkok and some surrounding provinces. Somyos Pruksakaseamsuk, co-leader of the movement, said that since the government had now revoked the state of emergency, the leadership had decided to relocate its protest venue from Samut Sakhon to the Royal Plaza in Bangkok. It plans to rally there from 5pm to 11pm today. Somyos insisted that the demonstration would not last long and would not result in any violence. The group expects at least 5,000 people to attend the rally. "This gathering will be a new start, carrying on the April 13 movement's mission," he said. The group has demanded the release of every red-shirt leader, the cancellation of all legal action against them and restoration of the 1997 constitution. Moreover, Somyos said he would like to urge the government to stop blocking the red shirts' media, especially community radio and D-Station TV. The red-shirt leaders are preparing to file a complaint to the Administrative Court over the D-Station closure order, he added. Jatuporn Promphan, a Pheu Thai MP and co-leader of the red shirts, said he would not be attending today's rally, adding that he wanted to map out with fellow leaders what the movement's next strategy should be. Prime Minster Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was not concerned about today's rally. He said the anti-government movement had the right to protest, since it was guaranteed by the Constitution. However, the PM urged the demonstrators to exercise their rights without infringing on those of others. Meanwhile, the Criminal Court yesterday approved the release of the three detained co-leaders of the red-shirt movement on bail of Bt500,000 each. Veera Musigapong, Natthawut Saikua and Weng Tojirakarn were temporarily released on condition that they not mobilise, instigate or cause chaos nor obstruct or damage official investigations. Quote
Gaybutton Posted April 25, 2009 Author Posted April 25, 2009 The following appears in THE NATION: _____ Red Shirts Move Rally to Bangkok Emergency Rule Ends, UDD Defies City Order By: POST REPORTERS Published: 25/04/2009 The anti-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship has moved its planned mass rally to Bangkok after the government on Friday lifted the state of emergency. Today's rally was originally scheduled for other provinces which were not affected by the state of emergency with Samut Sakhon tipped as being the most likely venue. The protest was relocated to Sanam Luang after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared the lifting of emergency rule at the end of the joint parliamentary meeting in the early hours of yesterday morning. Parliament wrapped its two-day special joint sitting to debate the crackdown on UDD red shirt demonstrators. A government source said Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban called a meeting with security authorities to discuss the lifting of the state of emergency as parliament was about to adjourn on Thursday night. The source said Mr Abhisit was concerned that emergency rule, if it was prolonged, would backfire on the government. The source said national police chief Pol Gen Patcharawat Wongsuwon pledged to speed up criminal cases against leaders of the UDD and of the People's Alliance for Democracy in efforts to return peace to society. Hundreds of cases are being processed in connection with street protests by both camps. UDD leader Somyos Prueksakasemsuk said the planned rally would not be prolonged. It would begin about 5pm and disperse about 11pm. It would tackle alleged government intimidation of UDD leaders, pressure the government to unblock the signal of its television broadcaster, D Station, and ask it to guarantee freedom of expression of red shirt protesters. Like ASTV which supports the PAD, the UDD's satellite TV station is a communication channel and has been the mouthpiece of the red shirt supporters. "The government should stop violating our rights of free speech. Blocking D Station's signal will only make red shirts more upset and force us to hold street protests," said Mr Somyos, who is one of the UDD's "second-generation" leaders. All pro-UDD community radio stations must also be allowed to resume broadcasts, he added. Mr Somyos said today's rally had nothing to do with other UDD leaders. "The decision to rally was made by the second-generation leaders, who felt upset with the Abhisit government's attempt to suppress the red shirt movement," he said. "It's now purely a people's movement." Mr Somyos shrugged off City Hall's order to ban the UDD from using Sanam Luang for today's gathering. He said the protesters had no choice but to resist it . According to Mr Somyos, there will be no phone-in by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin is in Liberia this week scouting for business opportunities in Africa, Reuters reported yesterday. "I have come to visit Liberia to explore business opportunities in the areas of mining, agriculture and gas exploration," Thaksin said after meeting the West African country's vice-president earlier this week. Small UDD rallies were also expected to take place today in Udon Thani, Chiang Mai and Phatthalung. Mr Suthep said he instructed police to step up security for the main UDD rally but threatened to take legal action if the rally turned ugly or was deemed to be inciting fresh unrest. Puea Thai MP and UDD leader Jatuporn Prompan, however, said he was unlikely to join the rally. He would talk to other UDD leaders first. Mr Abhisit said the lifting of emergency rule was an indication of the government's determination to reconcile differences in society. "By lifting the state of emergency we are sending a signal to the international community that normalcy has been restored," he said. However, troops would remain deployed in certain locations where there was still public concern about security. The UDD protest at Sanam Luang could proceed as long as it did not cause trouble, he said. Mr Abhisit reiterated that he was ready to dissolve parliament and call for fresh elections but it should not happen before the charter is amended. The political crisis would worsen if elections were organised when those rules that were seen as problematic had not been revised. He said constitutional amendments would address the UDD's demands for democracy and reconciliation. Meanwhile, the opposition Puea Thai party yesterday pressed on with its accusations that the military resorted to violence to disperse the UDD supporters during recent street protests. Puea Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said the party would lodge complaints against Mr Abhisit with police and the National Anti-Corruption Commission. During the two-day debate, Puea Thai MPs submitted to parliament "proof" of military violence. Senator Somchai Sawaengkarn yesterday warned the government not to rush into charter amendments. He said a panel should be first set up to review the charter. He also welcomed the government's proposal for a parliamentary committee to investigate the military crackdown on the red shirt protesters. Quote
