Suvarnabhumi Closed

[PeteC]

There are immigration facilities and staff at U-Tapao. All the Russian charters come into there on a regular basis. Steve is correct in that the passenger terminal and facilities are small. Pete

[Super Joe]

Mike, I can't see him being allowed back free to rule, if PPP make the constitutional changes they want, ie: Thaksin immune and Army Coup leaders not-immune from prosecution, it'll be no time before another coup and he gets locked up. Can't see it any other way.

The current Army Chief had already suggested dissolving government and new elections, bet they'll step that pressure up. That'll be the best solution all round.

It's just a big mess.

SJ

[BaaBaa.]

Sorry BaaBaa didn't quite get that, do you mean Thaksin would be able to help in preventing a coup ? Can't see what he could do to stop the Thai Army!?

SJ

It was a quote from the Nation.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/11 ... 089701.php

The government will enlist help from former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra if a coup is staged against the administration, Government Spokesman Natthawut Saikua said Friday.
He said thaksin would make phone calls to direct the resistance against the coup on around-the-clock basis.

"If a coup is staged, thaksin will fight against it along side with Thais. He can make phone calls to us 24 hours a day," Natthawut said.

Thaksin directing the police perhaps?

[Jaime]

The attention of the world media has been focussed on Mumbai for the last 3 days with not a peep heard about events in Thailand. Could take something dramatic for events in Thailand to make TV news outside of the Kingdom .....

[sandman67]

BaaBaa

id take that report with a massive pinch of salt....seems its another game of the usual Thai gobshite tennis....rumor and lies intended to patch up an ever sinking ship.

an indicator is the latter part where he says humanitarian orgs have said they support any police action whatsoever.... i can feel my O REEEEELLLLYYYY meter going off the scale. Yeah I can really see humanitarian organisations cheerleading police brutality.....which is where this is obviously heading....possibly with 3000 innocent bewildered farangs caught in the crossfire.....

when are Thai government gobpieces gonna realise that those blatant lies may work on Thais, but they dont work on farangs?

[buksida]

If I'm reading it right, Buksi can put me straight as he knows full details, the proposed change to constitution by PPP, apart from giving amnesty to Thaksin, it changes the Army's new 2007 constitution clause giving amnesty against prosecution of Army coup leaders. So Army leaders can be tried and imprisoned.

This is pretty close to it, ever since PPP took control they have wanted to change the constitution back to the 97 one which will clear Thaksin and his cronies of any wrong-doing ... among which is the blatant theft by the Shinawatra family of tax on profit of 1.9 billion $USD which should have gone back into the Kingdom as it does with every other commercial sale.

This is why the PAD are protesting.

PPP is effectively TRT which is still Thaksin's government. Both the man and the party have been convicted for fraud, corruption and tax evasion yet they are still in power.

This is why PAD are protesting.

I don't agree with what PAD are doing now but the current government must go, this is their only way to achieve that unfortunately. The outcome will probably be a military coup with Anupong in charge for a year or so until new elections are called. If Thaksin returns there will be civil war.

[miked]

a military coup is the best hope for Thailand and for all farangs here. lets hope it comes within hours and stops any bloodshed.
miked

[Super Joe]

Buksida wrote:

This is pretty close to it, ever since PPP took control they have wanted to change the constitution back to the 97 one which will clear Thaksin and his cronies of any wrong-doing ... among which is the blatant theft by the Shinawatra family of tax on profit of 1.9 billion $USD which should have gone back into the Kingdom as it does with every other commercial sale.
This is why the PAD are protesting.

I've read PAD were protesting against Thaksin in 2006, before the coup and the new 2007 constitution was even wrote ? Maybe they have other motives ? Also the military revised constitution of 2007 is by all accounts a step backwards for democracy ...... quote: "2007 constitution was unequivocal in its political slant, tending to strengthen the bureaucracy, the military and non-elected officials at the expense of the parliament, elected government and political parties"

I don't agree with what PAD are doing now but the current government must go

Agree, but I also disagree with current PAD actions.

Army won't let them get away with changing constitution to free Thaksin and to prosecute Army coup leaders. Thaksin would be a brave/stupid man to come back under those conditions when he could be re-coup'd (is that a word ?) before he's gotten through the airport doors. Maybe let it happen as then they can get their hands on him and make him serve his time.

SJ

[redzonerocker]

a military coup is the best hope for Thailand and for all farangs here. lets hope it comes within hours and stops any bloodshed.
miked

the thing is mike, do you think a coup will be a peaceful one without any bloodshed, considering the tensions on both sides?
there seems to be a huge division between both sides & not much middle ground

[buksida]

SJ, yes the PAD were formed in 2005 and started making the public aware of what Thaksin was up to then. Thaksin tried to shut them down, censor the media, and arrest Sondhi, the leader, at the time but failed. The protests grew larger throughout 2006 when more and more people found out what went on behind the doors of the Shinawatra household.

Both constitutions need to be scrapped IMO as each one protects people that should be convicted of abuse of power. As do both the PPP and PAD need to be disbanded as they're both destroying the country.

[Super Joe]

The solution has to be a snap election, forced or whatever by Army. Bring in respected international monitors to check fairness, ie: 100 Baht bribing issue and the like. The losing party may still kick up a fuss but will have less credibility to do it with and should be tolerated less by all authorities.
Constitutional court or whoever must prevent winning party from pardoning Thaksin.

Everyone's a winner, oh except for the losing party

SJ

[buksida]

The solution has to be a snap election, forced or whatever by Army. Bring in respected international monitors to check fairness, ie: 100 Baht bribing issue and the like.

Absolutely, however the last time it was suggested that the EU monitor an election here they turned round and said "no way, we don't need farangs meddling, we can do things the Thai way."

Now look at the clusterf*ck its turned into.

[sandman67]

election monitoring is only one of the three keys discussed on another thread

the other two are

before any election at all, redraw constituency/MP quotas so the number of MPs elected per electoral area accurately reflects the number of population. That would thin down the number of MPs from the poor old north tho....likelihood of ever happening.....slim

and

implementation of an independant and effective MP Internal Affairs monitoring body....that watch them constantly for graft, corruption and nepotism...or having ANY contact with banned MPs at all......likelihood of ever coming about....more probable but still bluesky. they already are supposed to have one and look how effective it is.....

Likelihood of Thailand ever admitting they need outside monitors to regulate elections.....never.

[BaaBaa.]

Well it looks like somethings happening.

Shock transfer of police chief

Phatcharawat was urgently transferred in the middle of Suvarnabhumi crisis, renewing doubts about Army chief's future
Police Commissioner-General Pol Gen Phatcharawat Wongsuwan was Friday removed as the national police chief and seconded to an inactive post at the PM's Office.

The government appointed police inspector-general Pol Gen Prateep Tanprasert as caretaker police commissioner-general.

Phatcharawat's removal came less then 24 hours after the police were made to lead state of emergency operations to dislodge anti-government protesters from the Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports.

Inevitably, the removal revived rumours about a military coup, as speculation revolved around whether Army chief Anupong Paochinda would be the next transfer target.

The Army has shown reluctance to be engaged in any drastic action against the PAD, and, according to the state of emergency declaration, the Army's role was very limited in its implementation.

Government spokesman Nattawut Sai-kue, speaking to reporters, confirmed the removal.

Phatcharawat became police chief during the Samak government. Known for his anti-Thaksin stand, he was one of the political focuses during the October 7 bloodbath. He was reportedly left out of the decision-making process when the government decided to use drastic action against People's Alliance for Democracy protesters when they were marching from government House to Parliament.

Phatcharawat joined Anupong and the other armed forces leaders when they went on TV to deplore the bloodbath. Anupong called on Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to "show responsibility" during the TV appearance.

[PeteC]

This is all starting to look like a grand plan with the government riding a sandwich. The bread being the military and the police who may be unwilling to do anything but contain the government and not PAD? Pete