The tide is turning again. Massive troop movements and the TV channel is off again per this report. Pete
News » Local News
Abhisit vows to defy reds
- Soldiers retake Thaicom station
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/3 ... -defy-reds
* Published: 10/04/2010 at 12:00 AM
* Newspaper section: News Bangkok Post
Embattled Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has vowed to defy mounting pressure on him by the red shirts to force a House dissolution.
More than a thousand anti-government demonstrators storm the Thaicom satellite station in Pathum Thani’s Lat Lum Kaeo district to protest the government’s decision to stop the prored shirt PTV cable channel from broadcasting. WEERAWONG WONGPREEDEE
Last night, he said his government will mobilise all forces and legal measures necessary to put an end to their protest.
The prime minister's TV address came hours after columns of the red-shirted United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protesters broke through lines of troops and forced thousands of them to withdraw from the Thaicom Plc ground station, the broadcaster of the red shirt People Channel TV (PTV), in Pathum Thani's Lat Lum Kaeo district yesterday afternoon."It's not over yet," said Mr Abhisit. "I'm confident if we stay true to righteousness, we will win the day," he said. "I'm aware of the emotional pain people felt today.We want righteousness to prevail," Mr Abhisit said.
"We cannot afford to be despondent and we will mobilise all the resources and manpower to preserve the rule of law," he said.
Late last night, Mr Abhisit ordered the army to deploy 30 companies, or about 4,500 soldiers, to retake the Thaicom station and cut off the PTV signal again, which they did.
Following the UDD's move yesterday at Thaicom, an army source said a mass mobilisation of forces, including 15,000 troops from the 2nd and 3rd armies, indicated a possible crackdown on red shirt demonstrators at Ratchaprasong intersection was in the offing.
The source said Supreme Commander Songkitti Jaggabatara might be appointed to supervise the overall situation if it was decided to disperse the crowd.
"In terms of the military operations, it will be [deputy army chief] Gen Prayuth [Chan-ocha] taking charge," said the source, adding that highly-respected figures have sent a signal to the prime minister and Gen Prayuth to end the demonstration before the Songkran festival, which starts on Tuesday.
Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda is reportedly hopeful that he will be able to accept well-wishers during the Songkran holiday.
At about 3pm yesterday, water cannon and tear gas were employed to contain the UDD protesters but to no avail. However, a number of soldiers were also affected by the tear gas.
UDD protesters suffering from the tear gas were seen giving first aid to one another and as well as to some soldiers.
At least 21 people, 15 UDD protesters, five soldiers, and one police officer, were injured in the clashes between the protesters and the security forces. They mostly sustained minor wounds.
Led by UDD co-leader Natthawut Saikua, the protesters also searched seven military vehicles parked in the compound of the satellite station after they got in.
The red shirts showed media a large number of bullets they said they had seized from the vehicles.
The protesters later agreed to leave the station after negotiating with Pol Lt Col Krisada Phankhongchuen, chief of Provincial Police Region 1. They were promised PTV would go back on air.
The government had on Thursday yanked the UDD's channel from the airwaves for allegedly spreading distorted information aimed at generating hatred against the government and posing a threat to national security after the declaration of the state of emergency. This prompted the UDD to lay siege to the station to return the PTV signal.
Following the Lat Lum Kaeo incident, an army source said there were no clear orders for what the troops deployed to handle the protesters there should do or not do when dealing with them.
"It's suspected that those soldiers are watermelon officers," said the source, referring to slang widely used at the moment to describe soldiers who wear green uniforms yet support the red shirts with all their hearts.
Gen Prayuth had been assigned by army commander Anupong Paojinda to be in charge of handling the UDD protest because he did not want to be the one making decisions on the matter, the source said.
Ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra phoned in to thank his red shirt supporters last night.
He said he was so overwhelmed by what the red shirts had done he wanted to cry. Before signing off, he said he hoped to see democracy and justice returned to the country in a few days.
