so where are all my academic Thai studies colleagues (both Thai and non-Thai) who defacto and openly supported the fascist regime over the past four+years and vilified me for my comments and were so keen to defend the status quo? is it not time to come out and denounce this criminal act by the illicitly emplaced Democrat Party-Amaat-Military Alliance and its anti-Thaksin propaganda machinery: the “party” has only just started, while Thaksin’s democratisation rights-based process that he put in place has opened doors that cannot be closed now
Is there any way to stop this government from taking the violent action against the protesters?? I was extremely disappointed by Abhisit’s ultimatum. He called it the national reconciliation plan and yet he allows no man to negotiate on the terms. To humiliate himself even more, he came out and said to the protesters that as you did not accept my good will then be prepared for the bullets and fires.
@ somchai
funny you talk about that guy, i have talked to him many many times, he does in fact have big issues with Thaksin but he speaks of the red shirts as fighting for a cause he supports but doesn’t agree completely with because they are too soft for his point of view. May he be one of the many examples of people who discern, or came to discern since you talked to him last, better than many highly educated observers the distinctions between the Thaksin’s views and actions and the red shirts’?
We’ve just witnessed an unarmed civilian (red-shirt) killed outside our apartment. This is in at 18 Rajaprarop, in between Soi Rangnam and Rajavithi- just prior to the Din Daeng intersection. Live rounds are being used despite any government reports to the contrary.
We saw him and other red-shirts crouched by the entrance to our complex, a shot rang out and one of the red-shirts stood up and stumbled a few feet into our driveway entrance. He was quickly moved to the side and blood was everywhere. After about 30 minutes it became clear that he is dead, and it was confirmed by the security guards at our building when we went downstairs to see if anything was being done for him. They are telling us to stay inside. No ambulances can get down our street as it is blocked on either end – one end is a red barricade and the other a military barricade. Looking out on the street it is like a war-zone. Shooting and bombs are constant.
Repeat: when we witnessed the red-shirts in the complex’ driveway, they did not appear to have any weapons, when he was shot he did not drop any weapon of any kind…he was unarmed and looked to be a teenager.
*note, after 45 minutes an ambulance has arrived.The lights have been cut to the driveway so that we can no longer see what is happening.
With his plan for a final peace deal disintegrating into open warfare in central Bangkok, the Thai Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, went to ground yesterday, raising concerns he was losing control of his government and the army, as well as the streets of the capital.
Mr Abhisit did not speak publicly yesterday as at least three people died in a new wave of violence and several others were injured, including foreign journalists. Skirmishes broke out across central Bangkok, with troops firing live rounds at defiant Red Shirt protesters, who hurled bricks, petrol bombs and grenades in retaliation.
But a leadership vacuum at the top has paralysed decision-making within the government and military and left the government on the brink of collapse.
@sopranz I lived on Suan Phlu for years and take motorcycle taxis all the time – I actually know the guys down there still, a lot of them are really nice and funny guys to talk with.
There are a large group of people sympathetic to the red shirts, but there are also a large group of anti-Thaksin motorcycle guys in that area. I’m not sure how the general populace breaks down, but I’m guessing it’s pretty split. There’s one old guy in particular down by soi 8 with a big fu manchu moustache who is quite a character and rides around handing out anti-Thaksin and anti-red shirt fliers to this day I think. He’ll talk your ear off all day about the corruption under Thaksin and hates the man with a passion.
It makes sense for the pro-red demographic to be out tonight as a response to the Army crackdown and surely there’s not a lot of love lost for either the Army or the police in Bangkok, but I don’t think it’s a one-sided story at all at least in that area when it comes to the populace.
update from Suan Phlu:
the situation got increasingly tense. The crowd of red shirts supporters in Soi Suan Phlu grew in size. About 50-60 bikes are parked around the corner of Suan Phlu and many other people gathered there, out of curiosity or support for the red cause. The public lights have been cut off from the whole of Sathorn until the Narathiwat intersection and the cars and bikes coming out of Suan Phlu are asked to put on the lights for their own security. The crowd is tense (i almost got into a fight for a picture i then deleted), some tires have been put in the middle of the street in front of the Shell petrol station (probably not the best place) and set on fire giving to the street a gloomy look and smell. The motortaxi drivers are now taking care of organizing the traffic out of Suan Phlu as a small crowd of farang living in the area walks around. The soldiers, still located in the proximity of the Australian Embassy is shooting at the protesters side once in a while but mostly pointing at the air. Every round of shoots is met with a loud noise by the cheering crowd. Down Suan Phlu the echoes of the shoot makes an uncommon background for the apparently normal daily life of the local dwellers eating at street vendors. At the front of Suan Phlu some younger protesters shout to the others to change their shirts and dress in black as a middle-aged man shoots fireworks at the army side. A young taxi drivers is listening with a small red transmitter to the hospital radio, feeding people informations about injured and on-going fightings. On the back sounds of rounds fill the air. Now the numbers in the crowd are quite stable and seems like everybody is waiting for something to happen. This is going to be a long night, even in a peripheral area of the confrontation.
I have been informed by a friend who is a resident of Ubon Ratchathani that a large number of red shirts gathered today in the streets of Ubon Ratchathani in reaction to the recent events in Bangkok. She supported what denyzofisarn said in his post that the Red Shirt supporters forced the closure of the bridge connecting Warin and Ubon Ratchathani.
They then went on to protest at the Ubon Ratchathani Town Hall in an attempt to pressure the Democrat Mayor, Chuan Sirinanphon. She reports that support for the red shirts in Ubon is high. Many locals waved and cheered to the protesters as they passed, and while she observed the group many people left their places of work to join the protest as they made their way to the Town Hall in the center of Ubon.
I have not been able to find any news articles in English about Red Shirt protests in the provinces, however, if they are protesting in Ubon I would not be surprised if there are protests elsewhere. If this is the case, and the situation keeps escalating in Bangkok civil war seems to becoming ever more likely.
Sporadic clashes between motorcyclists and soldiers reported by sopranz #17 at sathorn/suan phlu also took place in nearby places such as Bonkai/Rama IV/Wireless Rd and were well reported by govt-controlled tv stations today.
North of Rajprasong, namely at Raj-prarob/Pratunam area, similar clashes were also reported by the govt tv stations. It is worth noting that the areas mentioned earlier are full of small soi where motorcycle taxis are abundant. They have showed acts of defiance by burning old tyres and throwing small molotov cocktail bombs. Besides, Pratunam is always known as a hotbed of red shirts as can be seen from the fact that local food/fruit vendors blaring red radio broadcasts all day.
Andrew #25 – something very strange seems to be happening.
I’ve been trying for several hours to log on to The Nation –
every effort to no avail, no matter how long I wait.
Is anyone else having this difficulty ?
StanG #104 :
What I like about you is that you are always giving an alternative view. Especially needed in a crisis like this, where every idea has to be considered to resolve it.
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Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
so where are all my academic Thai studies colleagues (both Thai and non-Thai) who defacto and openly supported the fascist regime over the past four+years and vilified me for my comments and were so keen to defend the status quo? is it not time to come out and denounce this criminal act by the illicitly emplaced Democrat Party-Amaat-Military Alliance and its anti-Thaksin propaganda machinery: the “party” has only just started, while Thaksin’s democratisation rights-based process that he put in place has opened doors that cannot be closed now
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Video of a red shirt shot dead, (graphic advised)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCKfGBT_8ys
Crackdown? Abhisit’s last stand?
[…] >>Discussion on New Mandala: “Bangkok: A dangerous new phase” and “Crackdown? Abhisit’s Last Stand?” […]
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Is there any way to stop this government from taking the violent action against the protesters?? I was extremely disappointed by Abhisit’s ultimatum. He called it the national reconciliation plan and yet he allows no man to negotiate on the terms. To humiliate himself even more, he came out and said to the protesters that as you did not accept my good will then be prepared for the bullets and fires.
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
@ somchai
funny you talk about that guy, i have talked to him many many times, he does in fact have big issues with Thaksin but he speaks of the red shirts as fighting for a cause he supports but doesn’t agree completely with because they are too soft for his point of view. May he be one of the many examples of people who discern, or came to discern since you talked to him last, better than many highly educated observers the distinctions between the Thaksin’s views and actions and the red shirts’?
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
More self defense from the King’s army: http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2010/05/14/rivers.thailand.mayhem.cnn.html
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
We’ve just witnessed an unarmed civilian (red-shirt) killed outside our apartment. This is in at 18 Rajaprarop, in between Soi Rangnam and Rajavithi- just prior to the Din Daeng intersection. Live rounds are being used despite any government reports to the contrary.
We saw him and other red-shirts crouched by the entrance to our complex, a shot rang out and one of the red-shirts stood up and stumbled a few feet into our driveway entrance. He was quickly moved to the side and blood was everywhere. After about 30 minutes it became clear that he is dead, and it was confirmed by the security guards at our building when we went downstairs to see if anything was being done for him. They are telling us to stay inside. No ambulances can get down our street as it is blocked on either end – one end is a red barricade and the other a military barricade. Looking out on the street it is like a war-zone. Shooting and bombs are constant.
Repeat: when we witnessed the red-shirts in the complex’ driveway, they did not appear to have any weapons, when he was shot he did not drop any weapon of any kind…he was unarmed and looked to be a teenager.
*note, after 45 minutes an ambulance has arrived.The lights have been cut to the driveway so that we can no longer see what is happening.
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
From the Sydney Morning Herald:
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
@sopranz I lived on Suan Phlu for years and take motorcycle taxis all the time – I actually know the guys down there still, a lot of them are really nice and funny guys to talk with.
There are a large group of people sympathetic to the red shirts, but there are also a large group of anti-Thaksin motorcycle guys in that area. I’m not sure how the general populace breaks down, but I’m guessing it’s pretty split. There’s one old guy in particular down by soi 8 with a big fu manchu moustache who is quite a character and rides around handing out anti-Thaksin and anti-red shirt fliers to this day I think. He’ll talk your ear off all day about the corruption under Thaksin and hates the man with a passion.
It makes sense for the pro-red demographic to be out tonight as a response to the Army crackdown and surely there’s not a lot of love lost for either the Army or the police in Bangkok, but I don’t think it’s a one-sided story at all at least in that area when it comes to the populace.
Thongchai Winichakul on the Red “germs”
What I like about StanG is that he is so predictably supportive of the yellow cause. Why even bother? I can read the Nation and watch ASTV.
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Ike #33:
Google translation of the censored prachathai page
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Maybe it is not all going the governments way : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rGqZDvRa_U&feature=player_embedded
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Athita, the link you posted (http://www.prachataiwebboard.com/webboard/id/44453) now appears to be blocked. Translation:
“Access to this information. Suspended temporarily
By virtue.
Emergency Decree on Public Administration.
In emergency situations, BE 2548.
The command center of the emergency situation.”
Don’t suppose you, or anyone else, took a screen-shot of it?
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
update from Suan Phlu:
the situation got increasingly tense. The crowd of red shirts supporters in Soi Suan Phlu grew in size. About 50-60 bikes are parked around the corner of Suan Phlu and many other people gathered there, out of curiosity or support for the red cause. The public lights have been cut off from the whole of Sathorn until the Narathiwat intersection and the cars and bikes coming out of Suan Phlu are asked to put on the lights for their own security. The crowd is tense (i almost got into a fight for a picture i then deleted), some tires have been put in the middle of the street in front of the Shell petrol station (probably not the best place) and set on fire giving to the street a gloomy look and smell. The motortaxi drivers are now taking care of organizing the traffic out of Suan Phlu as a small crowd of farang living in the area walks around. The soldiers, still located in the proximity of the Australian Embassy is shooting at the protesters side once in a while but mostly pointing at the air. Every round of shoots is met with a loud noise by the cheering crowd. Down Suan Phlu the echoes of the shoot makes an uncommon background for the apparently normal daily life of the local dwellers eating at street vendors. At the front of Suan Phlu some younger protesters shout to the others to change their shirts and dress in black as a middle-aged man shoots fireworks at the army side. A young taxi drivers is listening with a small red transmitter to the hospital radio, feeding people informations about injured and on-going fightings. On the back sounds of rounds fill the air. Now the numbers in the crowd are quite stable and seems like everybody is waiting for something to happen. This is going to be a long night, even in a peripheral area of the confrontation.
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Seems more likely that Sondhi no longer feels he needs to rely on electoral politics to force his fascist views on Thai society.
Coup in the offing?
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
I have been informed by a friend who is a resident of Ubon Ratchathani that a large number of red shirts gathered today in the streets of Ubon Ratchathani in reaction to the recent events in Bangkok. She supported what denyzofisarn said in his post that the Red Shirt supporters forced the closure of the bridge connecting Warin and Ubon Ratchathani.
They then went on to protest at the Ubon Ratchathani Town Hall in an attempt to pressure the Democrat Mayor, Chuan Sirinanphon. She reports that support for the red shirts in Ubon is high. Many locals waved and cheered to the protesters as they passed, and while she observed the group many people left their places of work to join the protest as they made their way to the Town Hall in the center of Ubon.
I have not been able to find any news articles in English about Red Shirt protests in the provinces, however, if they are protesting in Ubon I would not be surprised if there are protests elsewhere. If this is the case, and the situation keeps escalating in Bangkok civil war seems to becoming ever more likely.
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Sporadic clashes between motorcyclists and soldiers reported by sopranz #17 at sathorn/suan phlu also took place in nearby places such as Bonkai/Rama IV/Wireless Rd and were well reported by govt-controlled tv stations today.
North of Rajprasong, namely at Raj-prarob/Pratunam area, similar clashes were also reported by the govt tv stations. It is worth noting that the areas mentioned earlier are full of small soi where motorcycle taxis are abundant. They have showed acts of defiance by burning old tyres and throwing small molotov cocktail bombs. Besides, Pratunam is always known as a hotbed of red shirts as can be seen from the fact that local food/fruit vendors blaring red radio broadcasts all day.
Crackdown? Abhisit’s last stand?
Video of a foreign journalist getting shot in the leg then carried away and another man being helped: http://edition.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/world/2010/05/14/vo.bangkok.journalist.shot.cnn.html
Who shot him(them)?
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Andrew #25 – something very strange seems to be happening.
I’ve been trying for several hours to log on to The Nation –
every effort to no avail, no matter how long I wait.
Is anyone else having this difficulty ?
Thongchai Winichakul on the Red “germs”
StanG #104 :
What I like about you is that you are always giving an alternative view. Especially needed in a crisis like this, where every idea has to be considered to resolve it.