Tear gas fired at protestors, Queen donates for medical help

[buksida]

Thai police fired tear gas at anti-government protesters who block the Parliament on Pichai road on Tuesday morning, seriously injuring at least three.

The police raid at 6.20am came to pave the way for members of Parliament who are scheduled to attend Somchai Wongsawat government's policy address there.

Thousands of protesters blocked the Parliament on Monday night to block access by lawmakers to the Parliament.

Thousands of supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) marched to parliament late Monday , using trucks to try to seal off the building ahead of an address by the new cabinet.

Television footage showed police fired the tear gas to the protesters who hid behind barriers on a road near the Parliament compound.

Sounds of gunfire were also heard but senior police officials said that only tear gas was being used against the crowd.

Full Story: The Nation

Queen gives money for medical costs after riot
Her Majesty Queen Sirikit donated 100,000 baht to pay for medical treatment for people injured in Tuesday morning riot when police fired teargas at anti-government protesters in front of the Parliament, according to Director of Vajira Hospital Dr Chaiwan Chaorenchoketawee.

Dr Chaiwan said that he is informed by the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary that HM the Queen is concerned about those injured in the riot, so she donated 100,000 baht to cover their medical treatment.

According to Dr Chaiwan, 71 people have been injured in the riot. Of all, 47 were taken to the Vajira Hospital.

The one with the most severe condition is identified as Chaiya Poomkaew, who has lost his left leg.

Source: Bangkok Post

Thought:

[STEVE G]

The situation seems to be getting worse:http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_new ... ?id=131198
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_new ... ?id=131204

[buksida]

Yep, violence escalating, it seems that Somchai is not as lenient as Samak was - or is it just Thaksin calling bigger shots from England?

A good summary on today's ATol:

http://atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/JJ08Ae01.html

[Guess]

I will read the articles if I get time but I have the TV going now. It's Sonthi TV though.

My feelings is that PAD have achieved enough for now.

Further demonstrative action will lead to more violence and have a detrimental effect on their cause.

Surely now, it is time to let the "democratic" process run its own course.

[PeteC]

I will read the articles if I get time but I have the TV going now. It's Sonthi TV though.

My feelings is that PAD have achieved enough for now.

Further demonstrative action will lead to more violence and have a detrimental effect on their cause.

Surely now, it is time to let the "democratic" process run its own course.

It's 1859 hours, and the leader who was arrested the other day gave an ultimatum that parliment had to be disolved by 1800 hours, or all hell would break loose. I guess the dawn will break the news. Pete

[Guess]

...............or is it just Thaksin calling bigger shots from England?................

Food for thought there. I have no doubt that Thaksin has the capability to call the artillery from afar. What I wonder is why did he choose the country where it most difficult to call out without someone eavesdropping. I can only see three options here:

He is telling the truth and has no interest anymore in Thai politics.

He has been sent to England to keep an eye on him.

He is stupid enough to believe he can call home without being heard by secret squirrel at GCHQ.

[STEVE G]

The secret squirrels will listen all they want, but I wouldn’t have thought they would be interested in the matter unless he shows an interest in buying another football club!

[Spitfire]

It's interesting/concerning what's going on, unpredicable to say the least.

Buski, hope you can elaborate properly on the public forum soon, waiting with interest. Forgive me. I'm sure the cuffs are on for now.

Will be interesting when they(HQ) let you 'off the leash'.

[Super Joe]

Best time for it though, get it all over and done with within the next 5 years before the tourists and investors have the finances to come back

Why are 95% of PAD supporters aged between 20-25 years old ?

SJ

[buksida]

Why are 95% of PAD supporters aged between 20-25 years old ?

Good question, also funny that 95% of PPP politicians are 60 to 80 years old - maybe the youth want a bigger say in things!

spitfire, in answer to your question the royal family have a lot to do with current events and this is why we can't really discuss it. The summaries on Asia Times do a good job if you can read between the lines.

[Firkin]

BBC News @ 14.41 today

Troops confront Bangkok protests

Police fired teargas to try to disperse the protesters
Troops have been deployed on the streets of the Thai capital Bangkok after police failed to disperse anti-government protesters.

The protesters, who are assembled outside the parliament building, are trying to stop lawmakers from leaving.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat managed to escape the building by climbing over a fence and being evacuated by helicopter.

Earlier, a woman died when a suspected car bomb exploded near the parliament.

One witness said that shots had been fired at the police by protesters, who are from the staunchly royalist People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

The BBC's Jonathan Head, in Bangkok, says the appearance of troops outside parliament is a clear sign that the government is struggling to maintain its authority.

Police earlier fired volleys of teargas for a second time to try to disperse the protesters, but without success.

Forced to flee

Mr Somchai had been holding talks with military commanders on how to end the stand-off, before he was forced to flee the parliament building.

The protesters accuse him and his recently ousted predecessor, Samak Sundaravej, of just being proxies for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The PAD wants to replace the one-man, one-vote system with one in which some representatives are chosen by professions and social groups rather than the general electorate.

Mr Thaksin, Mr Somchai's brother-in-law, was forced from office in a military coup in 2006.

The protesters have been occupying the grounds of government buildings for six weeks, but until Tuesday the demonstration had been largely peaceful.


Deputy PM Chavalit said he would resign because of the clashes
Several thousand PAD protesters broke out of the compound where they had been staying and marched to the parliament late on Monday.

They tried to seal off the building by putting up barriers of old tyres and barbed wire.

The police responded with tear gas, injuring more than 100 people. Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said he was resigning over the clashes.

The protesters later regrouped - locking some lawmakers inside the building and cutting off the power supply.

The new government says it wants to start negotiations with the PAD, but it is also pushing ahead with controversial plans to amend the constitution, a key grievance of the protesters who see it as part of a plan to rehabilitate Mr Thaksin.

The alliance says the government must resign because of its links to Mr Thaksin, who lives in the UK and has requested political asylum there.

It accuses him of corruption and abuse of power while he was in office, and has also suggested that Mr Thaksin and his allies have a hidden republican agenda, a serious charge at a time when the country is beset by anxiety over the future of the monarchy

[The understudy]

Hi there Y'all

I had been drulling all over this from very early this orning until now, ANd what I think about this Parliarmental Siege. Hmmm... It seems the whole Govt sees it s very own people that they should serve and poptect instead seeing us the people of Thailand as enemies.
truly sad in deed.

Your'The understudy!!!

[kendo]

These new events made the 12.30 lunch time news on the BBC, short interview with you know who, and he is asking the U.k government too stay here.

kendo.

[yabz]

Why are 95% of PAD supporters aged between 20-25 years old ?

SJ

It could be something to do with the money they get paid to attend the demos.

I was told by someone who recently went to a PAD demo that:

- for turning up they get a 'lunch box' of 300 baht a day
- if they are involved in violence its 500 a day
- the 'fighters' get 1000 baht a day

[Guess]

The secret squirrels will listen all they want, but I wouldn’t have thought they would be interested in the matter ...............

They have had an Indo China department from the beginning of time and it was still in place 10 years ago. I doubt thought it's been need much since the last Cambodian political struggle.

I think the authorities have admitted the use of tear gas and plastic bullets but what is it that is blowing peoples hands off.

I was told by someone who recently went to a PAD demo that:

- for turning up they get a 'lunch box' of 300 baht a day
- if they are involved in violence its 500 a day
- the 'fighters' get 1000 baht a day

That's a bit difficult to believe. All related in perfect English , was it?

People in the south don't need to be paid to protest. There have certainly been people turning up for the free lunch but they are most likely to be supporters anyway.

Sounds like a bit of Thaksin propaganda to me.