Grenades hit Health Ministry

Bangkok Post 24/03/2010

Grenade blasts at the Public Health Ministry just half an hour after a cabinet meeting adjourned have sparked a war of words between the government and army on one side and the red shirts on the other.

The two grenade explosions yesterday afternoon prompted the army to add another 13,000 troops to the force securing the capital, with another 17,000 more put on standby.

Acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the explosions in the parking lot of the ministry's Emergency Medical Institute were an attempt to expose lapses in the state's security measures.

The parking lot is 700 metres from a building where Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and his cabinet were holding talks up until about 30 minutes before the explosions.

The army and police have deployed more than 34,500 officers to maintain law and order in Bangkok since March 12, when the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship launched its rally in support of calls for the government to dissolve the lower house and call new elections.

Sansern Kaewkamnerd, the spokesman for the army and the peace-keeping command, the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO), said the grenade attack was aimed at discrediting the government.

PM's house splattered with blood

Bangkok Post 17/03/2010

Red-shirts of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship poured blood in front of the gate of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's residence in Sukhumvit Soi 31 and threw bags of blood and other objects over the fence into the grounds on Wednesday.

The protesters managed to get to the house and perform their ritual in steady rain about noon, despite police efforts to keep them at least 5 metres from the fence.

Red-shirts gather around the prime minister's house before pouring blood. (Photo by Kitja Apichornrojarek)

After completing their mission, the red-shirts withdrew and their leaders said they would head for the United States embassy on Witthayu road.

They wanted clarification from the embassy of Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban's remark that the US and some other countries had warned the Thai government of possible sabotage after they tapped the telephone conversations of convicted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The red-shirts started moving from Phan Fa bridge shortly after 9am past Siam Paragon, Central World and Ratchaprasong intersection, causing heavy traffic congestion on the outbound lanes of Sukhumvit road.

On arriving at the mouth of Sukhumvit Soi 31, they were barred from entering the soi, where police lined up in cordons to prevent them from getting close to the fence of the prime minister's house.

Police officers are deployed around the prime minister's house. (Photo by Kitja Apichornrojarek)

Following negotations with Pol Maj-Gen Wichai Sangprapai, the Metropolitan Police Division 1 chief, UDD leaders Jatuporn Prompan and Arisman Pongruangrong and a number of red-shirts were allowed to get closer to the fence with bottles of blood.

They spilled the blood in front of the gate and splashed it into the house grounds. Some red shirts threw bags of blood and other objects across the fence onto the roof of the house, despite being warned not to do so by UDD leader Natthawut Saikua.

While the red-shirts were gathering near his house, Mr Abhisit was in Songkhla's Hat Yai district to attend the funeral of Pol Col Sompien Eksomya, the Bannang Sata district police chief who was killed in an ambush by separatist insurgents last week

Reds to rally at army HQ

Bangkok Post 28/01/2010

Red-shirt protesters are free to rally in front of army headquarters on Friday, but they must abide by the law, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said on Thursday.

Members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) say they will gather tomorrow to demand the army to publicly clarify the rumours of a pending coup.

Mr Suthep said security forces had made preparations to handle the coming anti-government rallies. Police would be in charge of maintaining peace and order, but soldiers would be deployed if the situation gets out of control.

The protests would be allowed, provided they remained within the law.

Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said the anti-government movement's plans to protest at the army headquarters, and later at air force headquarters, and demand clarification of coup rumours was unnecessary. The army had already made it clear there would be no coup at this time and people should not be disturbed by the rumours.

Red shirts demand quick action on Surayud's home

The Nation 16/01/2010

The red shirts yesterday gave the Royal Forest Department seven days to take legal action against Privy Councillor Surayud Chulanont and confiscate his plot of land in a forest reserve.

About 100 red shirts rallied at the department before filing a petition demanding a speedy resolution on ex-premier Surayud's vacation home, which is located inside the forest reserve of Khao Yai Thiang in Nakhon Ratchasima.

In the petition, the red shirts set a seven-day deadline for the department to complete the job. They also asked for a new survey of Surayud's plot to ensure there was no more encroachment than the 21 rai declared.

Reacting to the petition, the department's director-general, Somchai Piensataporn, said his agency was waiting for a case report to be forwarded by public prosecutors. Prosecutors earlier had decided not to pursue a case against Surayud, arguing that he had held the land honestly with no intention of encroaching into the forest reserve. Somchai said that after receiving the report, the department would take action within seven days.

Suthep: Respect the court

Bangkok Post 13/01/2010

People should have faith in the justice system and not worry about violence on Feb 26, when the Supreme Court is due to give its verdict on the Thaksin Shinawatra's 76.6 billion baht assets seizure case, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who oversees security, said on Wednesday.

"I'm not worried about it," he said. "We should not think that the verdict for one person would be more important than any other. We must have faith in the judicial process."

The court examined two additional witnesses on Tuesday - former information and communication technology minister Sithichai Pookaiyaudom and Thailand Research Development Institute academic Somkiat Tangkitwanich. It later announced a verdict could be expected n Feb 26

When asked if the approaching verdict could lead to an increase in political activities by the pro-Thaksin group, Mr Suthep said the country belongs to the people, and no one could go against the majority.

"When everything goes according to the rule of law, which is accepted by Thais, then everyone will have to accept it," he said.

Army chief Anupong Paojinda said the army is ready to maintain order if the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) intensifies its anti-government activities.

Bangkok Post 11/01/2010

Growing numbers of red-shirt demonstrators led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) are rallying in front of Privy Councillor Surayud Chulanont's vacation residence in Nakhon Ratchasima. They accuse him of encroaching on Khao Yai Thiang forest reserve.

The protesters began arriving on Sunday night and fresh arrivals swelled their numbers this morning to more than 1,000.

Anti-government group leader Suporn Atthawong said on Monday morning that the group's supporters would not resort to violence or trespass into former prime minister Surayud's residence during the rally in Nakhon Ratchasima's Pak Chong district.

The UDD claims the Democrat-led government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is guilty of double standards for overlooking Gen Surayud's case, Many vllagers at Khao Yai Thiang had been charged over trespassing in the forests and forced to leave their land.

"If the government refuses to take any action, the red-clad army may move their mass rally to Bangkok," Mr Suporn warned.

Another UDD core member Sombun Khunthongthai said over 1,000 red-shirts from Pathum Thani will join the rally in front of Gen Surayud's home.

All red-shirt supporters from Pathum Thani had offered to pay for the buses to carry them to the protest, Mr Sombun said.

About 700 policemen have been deployed around Gen Surayud’s house. The main route around his home is heavily congested due to the protest.

Bangkok Post 11/01/2010

Police are threatening to arrest members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship if they damage a forest reserve on Khao Yai Thiang in Nakhon Ratchasima during their planned rally today.

United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship protesters make their point with a banner reading ‘‘Village of Double Standards’’. They erected the banner to attack Privy Councillor Surayud Chulanont over his Khao Yai Thiang property. The protesters gathered at the area yesterday and threatened to illegally occupy forest reserve land. JETJARAS NA RANONG

If the UDD protesters cut down trees or attempt to occupy any part of the reserve, police would arrest them and charge them with trespassing, the head of the Provincial Police Bureau 3, Dechawat Ramsomphop, said yesterday.

The UDD has threatened to cut down trees on the mountain and occupy land as part of the rally to illustrate the damage caused by Privy Councillor Surayud Chulanont at his 22-rai mountain-top property. They are protesting against what they claim are the government's judicial double standards.

While some villagers who have occupied reserve land on the mountain have been sued for encroachment, Gen Surayud, a former prime minister, has been asked to return his land without fear of prosecution.

Pol Lt Gen Dechawat said the security forces in place at Khao Yai Thiang - made up of police, military and Forestry Department officers - would not be armed and would not use force against the protesters. They would use shields only if confronted by violence.

Reds marching up a mountain to 'dislodge amartya'

Bangkok Post 11/01/2010

As prelude to a mass rally in Bangkok on a date yet to be fixed, the pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) will stage a protest today against ex-premier and Privy Councillor Surayud Chulanont.


They will be marching up Khao Yai Thiang mountain in Sikhieu district of Nakhon Ratchasima, atop which the privy councillor has a vacation lodge, sited on a plot of allegedly encroached land.

The protest is meant as a ''show of force'' by the red shirts against what they claim is a double standard practised by the government, for failing to take legal action against the privy councillor for ''illegally'' acquiring the land plot in question.

The protest is also intended as a warm-up exercise for the red shirt army in preparation for its ''big push'' in Bangkok to overthrow the Abhisit Vejjajiva government.

The protesters have been told by one of their leaders, Khernpetch Ponrum, to bring with them food, spades and other hand tools reportedly to follow in Gen Surayud's footsteps in ''claiming'' land at Khao Yai Thiang.

The red shirts' aggressive approach has caused widespread concern among many villagers living near Gen Surayud's vacation home, as many of them are supposedly land encroachers, too.

As a precaution against possible confrontation between the protesters and the locals which could turn ugly, police have been despatched to the scene to scour the area, with more reinforcements to be deployed.

http://nationmultimedia.com/2010/01/11/politics/politics_30120045.php

The Nation 11/01/20101

Rally aims to highlight supposed double standards in govt enforcing the law Thousands of red shirts will descend today on a forest reserve at Khao Yai Thiang in Nakhon Ratchasima for a protest designed as a prelude to a showdown in the capital to oust the government.

Today's rally aims to highlight a supposed double standards in law enforcement. The red shirts claim the government has failed to evict Privy Councillor Surayud Chulanont from his vacation home despite doubts in regard to his ownership of the property.

Red shirts began to congregate near the home, the designated rally site, yesterday afternoon.

A 1,000-strong riot force has been deployed at the mouth of a road leading to the rally site. Provincial Police Region 3 commissioner Lt General Dechawat Ramsompop was personally supervising the crowd control operation.

Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit called for Surayud to take responsibility for encroachment on the forest reserve and quit the Privy Council.

A leading figure such as Surayud, who had been a prime minister just after the coup, should know it was unlawful for him to possess the plot, Prompong claimed.

Thaksin showers gifts, scholarships

The Nation 10/01/2010

About 1,500 children of red-shirt parents celebrated National Children's Day in Chiang Mai yesterday with gifts and scholarships from fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.Ads by Google

Among the prizes given in front of Warorot Grand Palace Hotel were a BlackBerry smart phone, 60 bicycles, sports equipment and blankets.

Thaksin reportedly phoned in later in the afternoon and even gave his own version of a National Children's Day motto: "The future will be bright if one learns about technology".

The move apparently confused some of the children, who had heard Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajva's own slogan for National Children's Day.

Thaksin told the children that "politics is about lies" and urged them not to be fooled, especially by people who declared bankruptcy, a reference to People's Alliance for Democracy leader Sondhi Limthongkul.

Tighter security at Khao Yai Thiang ahead of rally

Bangkok Post 08/01/2010

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban has ordered an increased police presence at Khao Yai Thiang in Nakhon Ratchasima province ahead of Monday's red-shirt protest rally, but said there's no need to invoke the Internal Security Act.

The red-shirts have confirmed they would rally there on Monday in protest against former prime minister Surayud Chulanont's ownership of a property that encroaches on a protected forest.

They have accused the government of turning a blind eye to the privy councillor's trespass on the reserve land.

Mr Suthep on Friday urged the red-shirts not to break the law and not to hurt innocent people in the protest area. Police have been ordered to prevent clashes and to take legal action against those breaking the law, he said.

He also said he did not believe the situation would turn violent, and that it was not necessary to impose Internal Security Act in the area.

Pol Lt-Gen Dechawat Ramsompop, chief of the Region 3 Police, said he believed the situation could be kept under control.

There were no reports of red-shirts arriving in the area ahead of the planned protest on Monday. However, police were ready to cope with any situation, he said.

Roads leading to the country home of Gen Surayud at Khao Yai Thiang would not be closed, but security checkpoints would be set up.