Latest News in Thailand

Red Shirts Face Arrest and Confiscation of Vehicles

admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 17:01:33 +0000

Red Shirts Face Arrest and Confiscation of Vehicles
Fleets of many varieties of vehicles will take the red shirts to 10 different spots in Bangkok on Friday which has been set by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship for another large mobile anti-government gathering, UDD leader Nathawut Saikua announced on Thursday. He declined to reveal the destinations.
Earlier today, Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, the spokesperson for the Center for Public Administration in Emergency Situations, said the marchers had been advised against using motorcycles and other means of transportation in a way that could cause public uproar in areas under the emergency rule.
Doing so would be in contravention of the Article 11 of the executive declaration for administration in crisis circumstances and law enforcing authorities could confiscate the vehicles and arrest the drives, he said.

Puea Thai Party Opposes Government Censorship of Television

admin — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 07:31:29 +0000

Puea Thai Party Opposes Government Censorship of Television

Puea Thai party spokesperson Prompong Nopparit on Thursday went to the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bangkok’s Bang Khen area to deliver a letter opposing the directive to block the satellite signal of the People Channel television station (PTV), a satellite-based channel run by the red-shirts, to Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban.

The letter was acknowledged by the commandant of the military camp, Lt Gen Wibulsak Charoenying.

The 11th Infantry Regiment holds the Centre for Public Administration in Emergency Situations set up after the announcement of a state of emergency last night. Mr Suthep, who is in charge of safety measures, is the center’s director.

Mr Prompong said Mr Suthep’s order that the Information and Communication Technology Ministry directed Thaicom Plc to block the PTV satellite signal was illegal.

He said the order was in violation of Articles 45 and 46 of the charter which protects freedom of expression and prohibits political interference in any news reporting.

Abhisit Announces State of Emergency

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:37:22 +0000

Abhisit Announces State of Emergency
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Wednesday evening announced a state of emergency under the executive decree for administration in crisis situations in Bangkok, Nonthaburi, and some districts of Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom and Ayutthaya.
The state of emergency took effect directly after it was announced.

Mr Abhisit announced the move in a live nationwide television broadcast from the Centre for Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) at the 11th Infantry Regiment in the company of the cabinet members.

The prime minister said the decision was reached at a special cabinet meeting this afternoon after a number of the red shirts of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) demanding a return to an elected government broke into the parliamentary complex, forcing cabinet associates, including himself, and MPs attending a House meeting to flee for protection.

The Red Shirt activities had greatly influenced people’s lives and their work, as well as the national financial system and Thailand’s image in the eyes of the world. The current unelected government has no plans for elections in the future.

Red Shirts Temporarily Enter Thai Parliament Building

admin — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 07:02:22 +0000

Red Shirts Temporarily Enter Thai Parliament Building
Thai “Red shirt” demonstrators briefly took over the grounds of Thailand’s legislature on Wednesday as they stepped up demands on the government to call an election.
Hundreds of marchers, who have already forced the capital’s main shopping area to close since Saturday, shoved through a thin line of riot police, but then left after about 20 minutes and gathered outside the building.
Ministers had held a cabinet conference inside the building previously but had gone before the protesters entered.
The red-shirt followers had said they would target Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, whose military-backed government is under mounting stress to call an election after four weeks of protests.

Red Shirt Marchers Enter Forbidden Zones

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 21:14:09 +0000

Red Shirt Marchers Enter Forbidden Zones
Thousands of Thai red-shirt marchers moved into no-go zones proclaimed by the government on Tuesday afternoon, reversing an earlier pronouncement to stay away from the areas to avoid possible clashes with security forces
A red fleet made up of motorcycles and trucks moved into Silom and Sathon roads in insubordination to the government ban.

“From now we will be taking the offensive,” red-shirt leader Natthawut Saikua told the crowd. “Let our people from Pan Fa Bridge march to all 11 banned 11 roads immediately. If there is anything blocking us, break in peacefully.”

The procession was led by another core leader Suporn Attawong.

The activists took about 20 minutes to travel from Henry Dunant junction to Sala Daeng before reaching Silom.

The demonstration in Bangkok’s financial district began about two hours after Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, spokesperson of the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) pronounced on television that authorities would not use force to scatter protesters from the Ratchaprasong area.

Ratchaprasong Red Shirts get Raucous

admin — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 17:01:13 +0000

Ratchaprasong Red Shirts get Raucous
Thai Red-shirt activists pushed against the lines of police and soldiers positioned to prevent them leaving Ratchaprasong junction to stage protests on banned roads throughout Bangkok on Tuesday morning.
Demonstrators pushed and shoved and pelted police with eggs and plastic water bottles.
The short clash occurred around 11am near the Four Seasons Hotel, not long after extra riot police were installed in the business district.

Pressure was alleviated after police bowed to the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) leadership’s demand for safety personnel to move further away from the red-shirt rally at Ratchaprasong crossroads.

This followed conversations between UDD core figure Natthawut Saikua and Metropolitan Police Division 5 commandant Anuchai Lekbamrung. Police agreed to move back to a base near the Ratchadamri skytrain station. The skytrain operator proclaimed that the Ratchadamri station had been closed for the rest of the day.

Red Shirts Plan to Enter Forbidden Zones

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 23:51:39 +0000

Red Shirts Plan to Enter Forbidden Zones
Thai Red-shirts will on Tuesday move to 11 areas where they are forbidden from entering, group leader Nattawut Saikua announced on Monday evening.
He made the announcement after the Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) announced on Sunday that the demonstrators are proscribed from entering 11 prime areas including Surawong, Silom, Sathorn, Phaya Thai, Ratchadaphisek and Ratchadamri roads.
The red shirt procession would move to these areas at 11am, Mr Nattawut said.
Tuesday is Chakri Day, which is a Thai public holiday.

Rowdy Red Shirts Enter Government Buildings

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:03:03 +0000

Rowdy Red Shirts Enter Government Buildings
Thai Red-shirt activists forced their way into the building where the Election Commission has its offices in the government compound on Chaeng Wattana Road on Monday afternoon after their demand to convene with EC secretary-general Apichart Sukkhakanont was not met by their 2pm time frame.
They later pulled out from inside the building subsequent to one of their leaders, Kwanchai Praipana, telling them to do so.

The campaigners this morning congregated outside the multi-storied building, which houses many government departments and demanded EC to expedite its decision in the 258-million-baht contribution case against the Democrat Party. They later set a 2pm deadline for a choice from the EC chairman, promising to camp there if they did not get what they demanded.
The action was led by Mr Kwanchai, Suporn Attawong and Arisman Pongruengrong. Mr Arisman exhorted them to enter the building after the deadline passed.

“The red-shirts want to follow up on the Democrat’s donation case and would like the EC to dissolve the Democrat Party quickly, the same way it dissolved the People Power Party,” Mr Kwanchai announced.

Government Seeks Removal of Red Shirt Demonstrators from Shopping District

admin — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 04:31:59 +0000

Government Seeks Removal of Red Shirt Demonstrators from Shopping District
The Thai government is seeking a court injunction to force the red shirt protesters to depart from Bangkok’s central commercial and trade district.
The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship persisted last night in claiming it would not move from Ratchaprasong, the capital’s major shopping area, and vowed to launch another mobile rally in Bangkok today.
It refused to disclose the rally’s scheduled stops.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who supervises national security, said the prime minister had authorized army chief Anupong Paojinda, in his power as deputy director-general of the Internal Security Operations Command, to seek a Civil Court order today to force the protesters to depart Ratchaprasong.
The red shirts have taken over the intersection and adjacent areas, jamming travel and disrupting the shopping area since Saturday to increase stress on the government to hold elections. The current unelected government has steadfastly refused to allow elections or schedule any for anytime in the future.