Government ready to take severe action on protesters : PM

[LaaMok]

"Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced on TV at 5.20 pm Sunday that the public should be panic with the chaos caused by red shirted protesters and his authorities were now ready to suppress protesters.

 

He urged the public to remain calm during the operations.

 

His announcement came shortly after some 1,000 police armed with full gear including tear gas were heading to the Government House reportedly to crack down on the red shirted protesters rallied.

 

Abhisit has declared state of emergency in Bangkok and five other provinces on Sunday afternoon after lifting the laws in Pattaya and Chon Buri on Saturday.

 

The protesters have instigated chaos in the city on Sunday including road blockings and seizing armoured vehicles and buses."

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/04/12...cs_30100355.php

[Singha11]

They seriously need to just settle the f#*k down!!

[Langer]

I heard they were rolling out tanks and stuff, on the news.

Scary..

[BobbyTits]

The Prime Ministers car was attacked today in bangkok by the red shirts , the police and military were no where to be found to provide security.

 

 

What a joke - a really sick joke this place can even function as a country.

[Scumbag]

The report from Bangkok Post. The lighlighted bit is a concern.

 

PM: Army ready to quell protesters

 

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, appearing on the national television again on Sunday, called on the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protesters to stop inciting unrest because the army is now ready to use force under the Emergency Decree.

 

In the afternoon, Mr Abhisit announced a state of emergency in Bangkok and five neighbouring provinces of Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom and Ayutthaya, in an attempt to restore order quickly.

 

However, he said the anti-government protesters had been trying to create mayhem despite the enforcement of the decree.

 

He asked public members to remain calm, and assured them that the government would do anything to bring peace back to the country.

 

Private and public hospitals are prepared to look after injured people, should the decree be seriously implemented, the prime minister added.

 

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who is in charge of security affairs, called on police and army officers to strictly carry out the policy, and as the enforcer, he is ready to be responsible for the consequences.

 

The protesters are breaking the law by detaining and hurting state officials, including Prime Minister's secretary general Niphon Prompan, he said.

[roaddog]

the news is more interesting with some pics

 

the pm announcing state of emergency in bangkok

 

 

conference hotel in pattaya being entered by protesters

 

red shirts attacking the pms car

 

a government secretary is injured by protesters

[Scumbag]

Well it started in the early hours of this morning.

 

Army assault 'injured 77'

 

The clash between soldiers using tear gas and protesters at Din Daeng intersection early Monday morning injured 77 of those involved. Four were seriously wounded, but no fatalities were reported.

 

Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the soldiers were forced to break up the protest when negotiations failed and protesters attacked the soliders by ramming them with a bus, keeping up pressure even after troops fired warning shots.

 

Red-shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan called on supporters at Government House to be on alert after the dispersal of protesters at Din Daeng, telling them authorities would need to wade through many red-shirted fronts before they reach the main protest venue.

 

Anti-government protesters also blockaded all four sides of Bangkok's Sri Ayutthaya intersection and seized six public buses.

 

The red-clad protesters there also occupied the area outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

Opposition Puea Thai party MP representing Sing Buri province Payap Panket took the UDD stage outside Government House, ordering the protesters to enclose King Power Complex near the Victory Monument.

 

The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA) announced that it had suspended bus services running on Vibhavadi road and Phra Pinklao bridge for the safety of passengers and BMTA personnel.

 

As a result, many bus stops in the capital were filled with commuters, as few buses were running in the morning.

 

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) announced that the rail services from Hua Lamphong station had been closed since 5pm Sunday due the the closure of the railway linking to Yommarat station.

 

The SRT will assess the situation again before deciding to resume rail services.

[Scumbag]

UDD claims at least 6 killed

 

A speaker told the red shirts’ gathering at the main rallying site at Government House about 8.15am that he believed more than six of the protestors have been killed as a result of the early morning crackdown at the Din Daeng intersection area.

 

The D-Station satellite channel of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) broadcast the rally. He said a military truck was seen carrying the dead bodies away so that no one could see them.

 

Another speaker who claimed to be a Buddhist monk and has witnessed the crackdown said among the deaths was a monk. He said he saw the death body of the monk dragged away along with the other bodies by soldiers.

 

Another speaker slammed the media for reporting that there was no body killed in the military’s crackdown on the red shirt protestors. The speakers kept encouraging more people to come to join what was being described as a nation-wide protest.

 

Army dismisses firing at protestors

 

Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd dismissed unconfirmed reports that the troops cracking down on the red shirts at the Din Daeng intersection area early this morning shot a gun at the protestors, reported INN News.

 

The soldiers were forced to fire a gun up in the air because some protestors rammed a hijacked into the troops who were cracking down on the protestor at around 4am today, said Colonel Sansern.

 

After all, the drivers refused to stop and then all hells broke loose, he added.

 

More roads blocked with buses, gas trucks

 

Nation News Agency reported that the red-shirted protestors have blocked the Sri Ayutthaya intersection with a number of public buses. They also poured gasoline on the buses and threatened to set fire on them, INN News radio reported.

 

At about 6.40am the remaining red shirts have parked two ten-wheeled trucks carrying liquified petroleum gas across inbound Din Daeng road in a bid to prevent the troops to launch a further crackdown on them. The presence of the gas trucks has raised safety concerns among the Din Daeng residents.

 

INN News radio correspondent reported that the two gas trucks have been hijacked. One truck carried a tank full of the gas, whereas the other carried an empty tank. Stacks of car tires placed near the gas tank were burned and the protestors were threatening the troops by keeping open the gas tank briefly.

 

In response to the incident, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has summoned some fire-fighting trucks to the scene to spray water in order to prevent a possible fire.

 

The Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA), meanwhile, has announced to stop operating bus services in the inner Bangkok for safety reasons.

 

Train passengers were required to board a train at Bang Sue and Makkasan stations instead of the Hua Lum Phong main station after part of the track in the Yomaraj area was blocked by the protest.

 

Although the area was later unblocked, the State Railway of Thailand said it was concerned that to allow trains to enter and leave Hua Lum Phong. The Bang Sue station was for passengers heading to the North and Makkasan station for the south-bound passengers.

 

Security at the Suvarnabhumi airport was tightened up in the event of violent incident related to the red shirt protest.

 

The other areas reportedly blocked by the red shirts included the Victory Monument and Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue. However, now violence was reported there so far.

 

Media pressured to retreat from protest sites

 

Media members covering the red-shirt protest at Government House and the Royal Plaza were forced to leave the protest sites after the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) said they did not assure the media’s safety, reported INN news radio.

 

Before saying so, UDD leaders Chatupron Prompan and Nathawut Sai-kuea criticsed the media for having a bias against the red-shirted protestors in their coverage.

 

The media members have decided to retreat from the rally sites and report from somewhere away from the gathering. They also tried to negotiate with the protestors in order to be able to cover the protests, but just to no avail.

 

A TNN channel correspondent reported from Government House that Mr Chatuporn said the UDD leaders under stood the media yet could not guarantee their safety because the red-shirted protestors were rather angry at the media.

 

A Channel 11 correspondent reported from the Democrat party headquarters that the press now has to put away their media credentials to avoid possible attack by the protests.

 

INN News radio reported that the Democrat party headquarters were now shielded with a number of police bar trucks and a couple of fire-fighting trucks were also in place as a report said the red shirts were heading to the party with a gas container truck.

[Scumbag]

This is a bit of a concern. Here is a great instance of the pot calling the ketlle black..'The PAD was not at all confident the government could deal with the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protesters and defend the country's honour..'...LOL I guess PAD thought they where defending the country's honour when they closed the 2 airports.

 

PAD looks to join mayhem

 

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has threatened to mobilise its supporters if the government's enforcement of the declared state of emergency cannot restore order in the country.

 

The PAD was not at all confident the government could deal with the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protesters and defend the country's honour, PAD core member Somsak Kosaisuk said on Monday.

 

Even Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's limousine was attacked by the protesters, and he barely managed to escape them, he said.

 

PM's secretary-general Niphon Prompan was admitted to a hospital after being attacked by the protesters, he said.

 

Police and the military must be able to enforce the state of emergency, he said, It was shameful that the authorities had allowed the red-shirts to seize two armoured personnel carriers.

 

The PAD also demanded the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who is in charge of security affairs, because he had not effectively enforced the state of emergency and returned calm to the country.

[Scumbag]

Just now there was an announcement on Thai TV in English. It was obviously aimed at foreigners in the country. It said that normal conditions would be restored in Thailand soon. The announcer said that certain steps would be taken in the next few hours to achieve this goal. He said that steps had been taken to secure important infrastructure in the country including airports.

[HulaHula85]

Ahhhh crap here we go. Now the PAD wants to fight the UDD...Scumbag what about the rumors saying that the King has already stepped forwards?

[Scumbag]

Ahhhh crap here we go. Now the PAD wants to fight the UDD...Scumbag what about the rumors saying that the King has already stepped forwards?

If he has there are no obvious signs that they are taking any notice.

 

Official: 66 hurt, 4 bullet wounds

 

66 people were injured, mostly from tear gas, in early Monday morning's clash between Army troops and red-shirt protestors at Dindaeng intersection, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

 

Prat Boonyawongvirot, the permanent secretary of the ministry, said some were wounded by bomb fragments and sharp objects. He said doctors were working on four people who sustained gunshot wounds. Doctor Prat pleaded for protestors to avoid rallying around hospitals, but said he was confident there were enough ambulances and blood reserves nationwide to handle casualties from protests and Songkran accidents. He suggested people avoid intake of news if they felt stressed, and said parents should not take their children to demonstrations as it would affect the children's mental health.

[Scumbag]

Just now there was an announcement on Thai TV in English. It was obviously aimed at foreigners in the country. It said that normal conditions would be restored in Thailand soon. The announcer said that certain steps would be taken in the next few hours to achieve this goal. He said that steps had been taken to secure important infrastructure in the country including airports.

Here is a report about this announcement from Bangkok Post.

 

Govt will secure ports, airports

 

Measures were being taken to secure major ports and airports, the government spokesman said on Monday as the government continued its crackdown on red-shirt protests.

 

"In the next few hours several security measures will be taken to secure all major ports, airports and major infrastructure for your own safety,'' government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said in a television address.

 

"This is a very normal, routine procedure during an emergency,'' he said in a live television address that went out on all channels, in English and Thai.

 

The government on Sunday declared a state of emergency in and around Bangkok as thousands of red-shirted demonstrators called on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to quit.

 

"We would like to assure you that the unrest situation in Thailand is being brought back under control,'' said Mr Panitan.

 

As he spoke, soldiers again clashed with protesters in the streets of the capital.

[Highlanderballs]

The situation sounds serious so Koalashit and I are coming over in June to solve the problem. You'll recognise us as we will be dressed as white knights travelling in a baht bus and we'll be heading straight to Walking Street. We hope to catch up with a few of you for a drink after we sort out the mess! Cheers

[Al.]

The banks are closed here for Songkran but just heard on BBC World Business Report the Thai Baht is falling against the Dollar. That's about the only good news I've heard. (selfish I know).

 

Al.

[HulaHula85]

Just heard from the wife. All the major shopping centers all over bangkok are now ordered closed and the MRT will be closed at sundown. This is in Ratchadapisek so it looks like either the problem is spreading or they're just calling for a massive closure of public gathering places.