Political un-rest and rally

[cozza]

I have never been able to find a good reason as to why immediate elections would help the poor in the N/NE because they did have a lot of time in power and nothing was achieved to fix this and that is partly why I have never felt sympathetic to the Red cause.

As far as I can see, the problems that lie in Thailand cannot be solved by politicians anyway, its far deeper than that.

[m_right]

And there are farang loonies running around joining in

http://www.bangkokrecorder.com/foreigne ... ntral-worl

Good example of why immigration issues are a nightmare in Thailand. Actions like this by a foreigner in the West would get him a trip to Gitmo.

[charlesh]

Thaksin and his evil empire including the alleged money launderers who banked rolled this 69+ day debacle should all face the full extent of the law including those nongs who were being lead around like pop stars after surrendering (why weren't they cuffed) and allowed to give impromptu TV interviews.

This, "they are Thai" is wearing a little thin!

And why didn't the emergency sprinkler system including header tanks work on Central World etc?? Amazing that 35000 troops, snipers in appropriate vantage points and a logistics team in the rear including fire/emergency services could not do anything about the conflagration.

[cozza]

Good opinion piece...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opin ... r-problems

[richard]

Here near Khon Kaen all is not over and if you think the Bangkok police are useless try this lot.

Polled a few friends and some are seeking to leave Isaan as it is still simmering here and their attitude to farangs not so tolerant.

One US guy with Thai girl and newly born baby wants to go back to the states but cannot get visas and birth certificate for the baby certified because the US embassy is shut. He contacted the US embassy in Laos and their retort "No problem. Come to the Embassy in Laos and it will be sorted"

Hua Hin here I come

Have a read of this but its hearsay as I don't know the guy but I know a guy who does know him

Things are getting pretty scary out here. Around 2.40pm this afternoon I was riding my motorcycle and was going to take the road which runs parallel with Srichan road, into Town. I heard a mssive bang and saw smoke bellowing into the air. I did a de-tour and travelled along Srichan Road. When I got to my destination I heard that the protestors had blown up the city hall.
After finishing my business I was knocked from my motorcycle by a car driver, I was travelling along the road from the Airport to Srichan Road. The train barriers were down and the amber lights were flashing. In the distance I saw masses of red shirts in trucks etc. There was only two traffic policemen in the vicinity. I assumed that the barriers were down to prevent vehicles carrying protesters from entering other parts of the city. At the point the traffic lights showed green for us to proceed this is when the car driver (who was obviously paying attention to the red shirts and not me) hit the offside of my motorcycle with his front bumper throwing me from my machine. He was very sorry, that was until the 2 traffic policemen came across and I had removed my full faced crash helmet. Upon seeing my snow white face he tried to blame me so we agreed to go to the Police Station to sort out this matter. Whilst making my way to the Police station Srichan road was chock a block with truck loads full of red shirt and them also riding motorcycles. I had no where to go so I was beckoned by a young girl to come to the side of a bank. The red shirts dimounted from their bikes and trucks they were wearing camouflage and black pieces of cloth around thier faces as to to hide their identity. They were armed with baseball bats and other weapons only a minority of Police officers were closeby observing them. Suddenly there was a massive bang! the bank where I took shelter, had it's front door and the ATM machine blown to pieces by a bomb.
I finally got to the Police station, and after identifying myself was allowed into their car park to report the accident. I could see that workmen were in the process of boarding up the ATM machine directly across from the Police Station. I would say that there were approximately 6 Police officers stood at the front entrance to the Police station.
The next thing I knew it was panic stations! Officers were running all over the Police station. 2 officers ran outside and were lowering the Thai flag. The Chief of Police was just outside the front entrance to the Police building blowing his whistle. I asked the interpretator what was happening? she screamed at me to quickly sign the accident report form pay the 20฿ and get the hell out of there quick-sticks as the reds shirts were on their way to destroy the Police Station. I was directed to use the side entrance and ride as fast as possible. At the side entrance there were 6 or 7 more officers some were wearing body armour and bullet proof protection helmets. Wow! man it was unbelievable every where I turned trucks full of red shirts were travelling toward me. I rode to the nearby temple, and took shelter for an hour until it had calmed down. I telephoned my Police friend who told me which route to take home, get there as quick as possible, and stay indoors as there was a curfew going to be enforced and that the Army were being called upon to assist the Police.
Almost every shop had closed. Family Mart near to where I live had just closed and locked the front door. The staff inside were putting newspapers up to every window. Just as I arrived home I heard from my next door neighbour that a mass of red shirts had assmbled at Big C. She has a shop in Central Plaza and everyone was told by the Police to evacute the building.
In all my 25 years in my previous occupation I have never ever seen anything like this or even close to this, and I never wish to witness this again. Frightened isn't the word to express how I felt, I would describe it as being absolutely s**t scared!
How on earth I got caught up in this I'll never know. Please everyone take heed of what I am saying, and that is to keep away from the city, don't go to the supermarkets, shopping malls, banks or anywhere near to a government building. Best stay in-doors until all of this mayhem has been brought to a halt! I am very serious about this and by no standards am I exaggerating what happened!
I always thought that Khon Kaen was a sleepy hollow, how wrong I am!

[Big Boy]

If the above is true, who do the protestestors really think they're hurting by causing turmoil in their own back yards? I can't see the Hi so society in Bangkok being too concerned. They are simply putting many of their neighbours out of work, and reducing local services. IMHO a pointless protest.

Destroying Bangkok makes the news. Damaging anywhere else in Thailand is not front page news.

[richard]

It's school playground mentality and frustration

Doubt whether any of the villagers know of the BK elite. They just follow the broadcasts on the village loudspeakers and going by the number of posters here with Mr T on them you can imagine where their loyalties are

Rumour has it the the men in black all speak fluent Khyber. Draw your own conclusions!!

[Big Boy]

Whatever they speak, you don't do it in your own backyard. You are only hurting yourself - maybe they should just shoot themselves in the foot.

[PeteC]

Here we go, the damn cowards that they are. Hurt the children and their future. Pete


Probe underway for three schools torched despite curfew

Education Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiart on Friday formed two panels, one in charge of fact-finding related to the arson attacks of three schools in the Northeast and another responsible for assessing the damage.

During the first day of curfew on Wednesday, two arson attacks were reported in Nong Khai and Yasothorn.

Ban Tha Chiang Krua School in Nong Khai's Seka district was burned down. The arson happened at Ban Yang Krue Nong Thom School in Yasothorn's Muang district.

During Thursday's curfew, Ban Wang Keng School was torched at Khon Kaen's Nam Phong district.

The Nation

______________________________________

Others of interest.......Pete


Two M67 grenades found in pick-up truck of red-shirt guards

Two M67 grenades were found in a pick-up truck in a car park of Maneeya Building on Ploenchit Road near Rajprasong Friday, Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunant, director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, said.

The pick-up truck has Sarabuir registration.

She said officials also found communication radios and an identification card of a red-shirt guard as well as an expired employee card of Sheraton Siam Thani Hotel. The employee card carries the name of Prasopchoke Watcharaparn.

The Nation

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C4 bomb found on pick-up truck in Pratunam

Officials from the Central Institute of Forensic Science Friday found a bomb assembled with C4 explosives on the back of a pick-up truck left on Pratunam are.

The officials and Khunying Porntip Rojanasunan, the director of the institute, inspected Pratunam area and spotted the truck left in front of a 7-Eleven shop.

Porntip said the C-4 bomb had been wired and armed. It was hidden in a paper box.

It was disposed safely.

She said the truck carried a Bangkok license plate.

The Nation

[BaaBaa.]

Rumour has it the the men in black all speak fluent Khyber. Draw your own conclusions!!

What's that then?

carry on up the khyber!

[Super Joe]

Rumour has it the the men in black all speak fluent Khyber.
Draw your own conclusions!!

Okay ...
1) Only the one's that come from Buriram, Surin and the like are fluent in it, just as my wife and builders are .... sadaaaay!
2) Your Village People weren't reeeeaaaalllly 'ready and waiting for the call', but they do perform a mean 'YMCA'.

SJ

[JD]

Rumour has it the the men in black all speak fluent Khyber.

Where as, my Khyber is only just passable.

Sorry, now please.

[pharvey]

At a complete loss as to what these muppets think they are accomplishing by torching schools in their own back yard......... what the hell have they got between the ears?

[Big Boy]

I would guess that a lot of these 'rural' people received very little benefit from the Thai education system, and don't really appreciate the benefits a proper education can bring.

[BaaBaa.]

Full English Transcript of PM's speech at 14:00 Today

Today, at 14:00 hrs the Prime Minister addressed the nation via a televised speech. Below is the full transcript of his speech in English.

"Ladies and Gentlemen,

We’ve restored order in the capital of Bangkok and the provinces of Thailand. We’ve been able to do this with the cooperation of government officials, volunteers and, of course, the people of Thailand. We’ll continue to move swiftly to restore normalcy. And we recognize that as we move ahead, there are huge challenges ahead of us, particularly the challenge of overcoming the divisions that have occurred in this country.

Let me reassure you that the Government will meet those challenges and overcome the difficulties through the five-point reconciliation plan that I’ve previously announced. That plan is based on the principle of participation, democracy, and justice. We’ll allow the due process of law to operate and use our parliamentary democracy to resolve the problems with the participation of all groups of people. At the same time, that plan will include an independent investigation of all the events that have taken place during the protests. So you can be assured that the government has every intention of moving the country forward, restore order, make sure that our recovery is well on track, and that we’ll do so in a transparent manner.

Thank you very much.”