Portman: Agree, that story didn’t really make sense.
But if I were that witness I wouldn’t want to say anything officially either until I was out of the country.
“Why did the Seh Daeng’s shooting occur at that particular time, at the beginning of the government crackdown?”
As a textbook military ambush practice the sniper has to take out most senior enemy officer and the shot will become the signal to start the firings for the waiting troops.
The red shirts also did it successfully, most probably under Seh Daeng’s instructions, during the 10 April attacks killing the CO of the Queens Guard Regiment.
It is almost certainly a hoax. It’s unlikely that a sniper rifle on the dark top of the building would have been so visible from the ground. It is also highly unlikely that the sniper would have made himself visible as he stood up behind the parapet after firing the shot or that he would have appeared downstairs wearing the same black gunman chic outfit or had a brief celebration with military officers in front of a gaggle of tourists. Finally the van would have had a hard job getting to MBK, if it turned left after proceeding up Rama 4. Even if it had turned right, how would El Shaheen have been able to see that with the Japanese bridge blocking his view?
As the majority of posters here are pro-red, we can expect that anything which doesn’t conform to this view to become ‘low quality’. Will pointedly keep those who aren’t wholly with the New Mandala agenda in their place: ‘hidden’
I suppose everyone has strong views on the situation, I just wish what is otherwise a great blog would allow itself to maintain a little more balance.
From homefront in Ubon Rachathani, 2 men came to Bangkok Bank at Kilo Soon branch by motobike and sprayed AK-47 bullets early this morning as caught by cc camera. At noon to-day members of the Red Shirts chapter from Warin Chamrap closed bridge over Moon River. There are other bridges one can used over the Moon River. It’s obvious to notice the presence of a rather sizable hardcore Red Shirts group. Btw, Warin Chamrap is the twin city of Ubon city. Ubon Ratchathani is very much a Democrat stronghold. In my village of 400 + households there are only 4 known Red Shirts. A village northwest from mine, there are more Red Shirts according to my observation during their last “mor rum”, a rustic folk concert for rocket- for-rain festival. Rockets, fired by the Red Shirts at the Rajprasong protest site, are likely hand-made by Isarn folks. These little rockets don’t come with an explosive impact like those used the Palestinians against the Israelis.
If it was not a government order which led to Se Daeng’s assasination last night, I would have thought by now the government would have issued a statement denying its involvement and offering condolences. But then, even if it was, I would have expected a denial. Is this quiet and the disappearance of Abhisit & Suthep from the TV an indication that they realise they have no credibility or something more sinister?
LesAbbey: “How come this year we get almost instant updates on people being shot and killed, but last year’s Songkran we had hundreds being shot but no credible reporting?”
Well, last year Thaksin obviously forgot to pay off the foreign press! 🙂
How come this year we get almost instant updates on people being shot and killed, but last year’s Songkran we had hundreds being shot but no credible reporting?
Could it be a government conspiracy? Or could it possibly be that there were no dead bodies last year? I do wish some of those pushing the propaganda on this website last year would come and explain it. Maybe Thaksin can tell us.
Chiang Mai and other provinces are quiet, except at Ubonratchathani (north east), these provinces were announced by the CRES to be under the Emergency decree. Some red shirts are on the way to Bangkok
A foreigner who happened to see the sniper assassination of Seh Daeng has made the following statement:
==============================
“I was at Sala Deang area near the MRT station. A group of us reported about noise coming from the the Dusit hotel. What looked like a long stick extended from the roof top. Within minutes, the general (Seh Daeng) was speaking to his supporters, offering water to an elderly lady and giving her a hug. Moments later, a shot was heard from overhead. The object had been pulled back and a man with a black hood stood up and walked away. About 5 min. later. A man wearing the same outfit was escorted out of the hotel into a black police van. Quickly, it took off and proceeded to go up Rama 4 and turned left to go towards MBK.
Military officers where seen smiling and shaking each others hands from this killing of this man.
Our party was told by an army officer.
You have seen nothing, go back to your hotel at once or you will be arrested and deported.
He repeated again and again. You’ve seen nothing, nothing to see here. Go back to your hotels.”
Portman, with headlines like “Thai PM preps snipers, police to seal off red shirt protest site” on websites like CSMonitor.com just hours BEFORE Seh Daeng got shot, I think it’s clear who the obvious suspect is.
Seh Daeng had so many enemies that it would be fair to say that just about everybody had some motivation to kill him: dove factions in the red shirts, hyper-hawk factions in the red shirts, hawk factions in the yellow shirts, hawk factions in the pink/no/multi-color shirts, revenge-for-Romklao factions in the Army, long-time Seh Daeng enemies in the Army, Abhisit’s faction, Suthep’s faction, Prayuth’s faction, Anupong’s faction, Seh Daeng’s powerful supporter, somebody even more powerful than Seh Daeng’s powerful supporter, disgruntled follower’s of Seh Daeng’s powerful supporter, …
Everybody wanted him dead, and a bit silly to ask who wanted him more dead. The key questions are therefore:
1. “Who had the means to put a highly skilled sniper around Saladaeng?” and,
2. “Why did the shooting occur at that particular time, at the beginning of the government crackdown?”
Re :” they are using live amunition, the shotguns are for frontline show, and in fact they are aiming for head shots; targets are selected by snipers”.
During May ’92 Massacre, Bertil Lintner smuggled out of the besieged Royal Hotel film of this “frontline show” PR technique.
Frontline soldiers fired warning shots into the air, while their officers behind fired lived ammunition into the UNARMED crowd. A photographer friend of mine was scarred on the head as a bullet skimmed past.
Seems Thai military tactics have n’t changed much, but are likely to be even more ruthless given some of their opponents this time definitely are ARMED.
I’d rather be… and Shane. I didn’t say anything about sniper rifles. That was Jim Taylor. I referred to the usefulness of the Tavor TAR-21s that were seized from the army in urban warfare. By putting the magazine behind the pistol grip you get a much squatter and handier weapon that still has roughly the same barrel length as an M16. However, most Thai nakleng are more adept with an M16 or an AK47.
Hi, I haven’t found anything about the protests and/ or gov crackdown in Northern Provinces… Does someone know any website in english ? International news are focused on Bangkok, but there’s no information about the situation in Chiang Mai for example…
Maybe Veera shot Seh Daeng. What do you think? Has anybody seen Veera recently? Is he a non-person in the red shirt camp now? Will his image be removed from photos like they did with Trotsky under Stalin? Where’s Giles when you need him?
How about a jackpot rating for posts construable as LM with an appropriately amusing icon? That would make life easier for the hard working Thai diplomats protecting national security at the embassy in Canberra.
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Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Portman: Agree, that story didn’t really make sense.
But if I were that witness I wouldn’t want to say anything officially either until I was out of the country.
Crackdown? Abhisit’s last stand?
“Why did the Seh Daeng’s shooting occur at that particular time, at the beginning of the government crackdown?”
As a textbook military ambush practice the sniper has to take out most senior enemy officer and the shot will become the signal to start the firings for the waiting troops.
The red shirts also did it successfully, most probably under Seh Daeng’s instructions, during the 10 April attacks killing the CO of the Queens Guard Regiment.
Crackdown? Abhisit’s last stand?
Veera has resigned, along with some others. There were conflicting reports from the red stage itself by Nirmal Ghosh had it confirmed by Weng himself.
http://blogs.straitstimes.com/2010/5/14/red-shirts-teeter-towards-extreme
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Peter, it might have been better if you had attributed the source of this story which was a blog on the New York Times website by some one posting under the name of El Shaheen http://community.nytimes.com/comments/www.nytimes.com/2010/05/14/world/asia/14thai.html?sort=oldest&offset=4 .
It is almost certainly a hoax. It’s unlikely that a sniper rifle on the dark top of the building would have been so visible from the ground. It is also highly unlikely that the sniper would have made himself visible as he stood up behind the parapet after firing the shot or that he would have appeared downstairs wearing the same black gunman chic outfit or had a brief celebration with military officers in front of a gaggle of tourists. Finally the van would have had a hard job getting to MBK, if it turned left after proceeding up Rama 4. Even if it had turned right, how would El Shaheen have been able to see that with the Japanese bridge blocking his view?
Rating comments
Well said Les,
As the majority of posters here are pro-red, we can expect that anything which doesn’t conform to this view to become ‘low quality’. Will pointedly keep those who aren’t wholly with the New Mandala agenda in their place: ‘hidden’
I suppose everyone has strong views on the situation, I just wish what is otherwise a great blog would allow itself to maintain a little more balance.
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
From homefront in Ubon Rachathani, 2 men came to Bangkok Bank at Kilo Soon branch by motobike and sprayed AK-47 bullets early this morning as caught by cc camera. At noon to-day members of the Red Shirts chapter from Warin Chamrap closed bridge over Moon River. There are other bridges one can used over the Moon River. It’s obvious to notice the presence of a rather sizable hardcore Red Shirts group. Btw, Warin Chamrap is the twin city of Ubon city. Ubon Ratchathani is very much a Democrat stronghold. In my village of 400 + households there are only 4 known Red Shirts. A village northwest from mine, there are more Red Shirts according to my observation during their last “mor rum”, a rustic folk concert for rocket- for-rain festival. Rockets, fired by the Red Shirts at the Rajprasong protest site, are likely hand-made by Isarn folks. These little rockets don’t come with an explosive impact like those used the Palestinians against the Israelis.
Crackdown? Abhisit’s last stand?
If it was not a government order which led to Se Daeng’s assasination last night, I would have thought by now the government would have issued a statement denying its involvement and offering condolences. But then, even if it was, I would have expected a denial. Is this quiet and the disappearance of Abhisit & Suthep from the TV an indication that they realise they have no credibility or something more sinister?
Rating comments
In the colour context of the current crisis, is n’t NM leaving itself open to allegations of bias ? Where’s the Yellow check ?
Crackdown? Abhisit’s last stand?
LesAbbey: “How come this year we get almost instant updates on people being shot and killed, but last year’s Songkran we had hundreds being shot but no credible reporting?”
Well, last year Thaksin obviously forgot to pay off the foreign press! 🙂
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Sporadic gun shots heard over Suan Santipab (Peace Park) near Pratunam area. Anybody knows what’s happening?
This is crazy! Am I living in Bangkok or Kabul???
Crackdown? Abhisit’s last stand?
How come this year we get almost instant updates on people being shot and killed, but last year’s Songkran we had hundreds being shot but no credible reporting?
Could it be a government conspiracy? Or could it possibly be that there were no dead bodies last year? I do wish some of those pushing the propaganda on this website last year would come and explain it. Maybe Thaksin can tell us.
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Some video from the Nation
http://www.bangkokbiznews.com/home/video/?id=115415&top=1§ion=1
and this woman tried to take the rifle from soldier
http://www.bangkokbiznews.com/home/detail/politics/politics/20100514/115400/р╕Ьр╕╣р╣Йр╕Кр╕╕р╕бр╕Щр╕╕р╕бр╕вр╕╖р╣Йр╕нр╣Бр╕вр╣Ир╕Зр╕Ыр╕╖р╕Щр╣Ар╕Ир╣Йр╕▓р╕лр╕Щр╣Йр╕▓р╕Чр╕╡р╣И.html
Chiang Mai and other provinces are quiet, except at Ubonratchathani (north east), these provinces were announced by the CRES to be under the Emergency decree. Some red shirts are on the way to Bangkok
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
A foreigner who happened to see the sniper assassination of Seh Daeng has made the following statement:
==============================
“I was at Sala Deang area near the MRT station. A group of us reported about noise coming from the the Dusit hotel. What looked like a long stick extended from the roof top. Within minutes, the general (Seh Daeng) was speaking to his supporters, offering water to an elderly lady and giving her a hug. Moments later, a shot was heard from overhead. The object had been pulled back and a man with a black hood stood up and walked away. About 5 min. later. A man wearing the same outfit was escorted out of the hotel into a black police van. Quickly, it took off and proceeded to go up Rama 4 and turned left to go towards MBK.
Military officers where seen smiling and shaking each others hands from this killing of this man.
Our party was told by an army officer.
You have seen nothing, go back to your hotel at once or you will be arrested and deported.
He repeated again and again. You’ve seen nothing, nothing to see here. Go back to your hotels.”
Crackdown? Abhisit’s last stand?
Portman, with headlines like “Thai PM preps snipers, police to seal off red shirt protest site” on websites like CSMonitor.com just hours BEFORE Seh Daeng got shot, I think it’s clear who the obvious suspect is.
Seh Daeng had so many enemies that it would be fair to say that just about everybody had some motivation to kill him: dove factions in the red shirts, hyper-hawk factions in the red shirts, hawk factions in the yellow shirts, hawk factions in the pink/no/multi-color shirts, revenge-for-Romklao factions in the Army, long-time Seh Daeng enemies in the Army, Abhisit’s faction, Suthep’s faction, Prayuth’s faction, Anupong’s faction, Seh Daeng’s powerful supporter, somebody even more powerful than Seh Daeng’s powerful supporter, disgruntled follower’s of Seh Daeng’s powerful supporter, …
Everybody wanted him dead, and a bit silly to ask who wanted him more dead. The key questions are therefore:
1. “Who had the means to put a highly skilled sniper around Saladaeng?” and,
2. “Why did the shooting occur at that particular time, at the beginning of the government crackdown?”
Crackdown? Abhisit’s last stand?
Jim Taylor #58
Re :” they are using live amunition, the shotguns are for frontline show, and in fact they are aiming for head shots; targets are selected by snipers”.
During May ’92 Massacre, Bertil Lintner smuggled out of the besieged Royal Hotel film of this “frontline show” PR technique.
Frontline soldiers fired warning shots into the air, while their officers behind fired lived ammunition into the UNARMED crowd. A photographer friend of mine was scarred on the head as a bullet skimmed past.
Seems Thai military tactics have n’t changed much, but are likely to be even more ruthless given some of their opponents this time definitely are ARMED.
Crackdown? Abhisit’s last stand?
I’d rather be… and Shane. I didn’t say anything about sniper rifles. That was Jim Taylor. I referred to the usefulness of the Tavor TAR-21s that were seized from the army in urban warfare. By putting the magazine behind the pistol grip you get a much squatter and handier weapon that still has roughly the same barrel length as an M16. However, most Thai nakleng are more adept with an M16 or an AK47.
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Hi, I haven’t found anything about the protests and/ or gov crackdown in Northern Provinces… Does someone know any website in english ? International news are focused on Bangkok, but there’s no information about the situation in Chiang Mai for example…
Crackdown? Abhisit’s last stand?
Maybe Veera shot Seh Daeng. What do you think? Has anybody seen Veera recently? Is he a non-person in the red shirt camp now? Will his image be removed from photos like they did with Trotsky under Stalin? Where’s Giles when you need him?
Bangkok: A dangerous new phase
Update of Bangkok Dangerous map here: http://twurl.nl/xpuo6l
Rating comments
How about a jackpot rating for posts construable as LM with an appropriately amusing icon? That would make life easier for the hard working Thai diplomats protecting national security at the embassy in Canberra.