Bangkok Mar 12-14

[Loburt]

I don't believe they will be trying again as long as Anupong is in charge.

He's already saying a house dissolution should be done soon.

The coalition partners want Sanan as an interim PM until elections take place.

[kaunitz]

Their intelligence was flawed. They didn't know the Red Shirts had grenades and automatic weapons.

Well, I am really not sure if it was the reds having weapons (except of those seized from soldiers). Somehow I suspect that there is a "third hand" in the game trying to put oil into the fire. No proof for that but the differrent reports I heard from different sources (among those one guy having been present at Khaosan Road during the events) gave me this idea. Question would be who would be behind this "shadow force" and what his/their aims would be.

But there is one thing: The army completely failed in CRC (crowd and riot control). This I already saw on TV as they did not close their ranks but running around in small groups or even individuals, thus getting very vulnerable and ineffective. And when I heard that the reds seized weapons and even soldiers, I could not stop shaking my head!

[beej]

Coffin parade is passing soi 33 on Petchburi road now.....

[beej]

Lets face it, in 6 months, 1 year, 2 years generally in the near future, this will happen again, its just what happens here.

Why can't the government pay some serious money to have the German/British police riot unit fly to Thailand and teach them how to control a violent crowd, safely and quickly.

I've been part of as well as viewing these situations in Europe and they really know their ****.

If its not done, we'll be sitting here in a few years time when the ******* ''rural poor'' are on the streets of Bangkok demanding that they not be ignored...... while everyone stands around thinking... ''you're ******* poor because you're lazy *****''.

[Loburt]

According to a tweet from a Nation editor, Arisman and the Reds have just descended into kidnapping:

"urgent: a red mob led by Arisman had taken Jirayut Rungsrithong, CEO of CAT telecom, to unknown destination."

can't vouch for the veracity of this, but this editor has been fairly accurate so far.

[beej]

Not helping themselves much are they...

[SweetieBabie]

Collective Vids from the night of April 10th, by ASTVmanager, keep in mind they are no the yellow side, video clip that had cost a Reuters reporter's life.

http://www.manager.co.th/Politics/ViewNews.aspx?NewsID=9530000050829

[funky_house]

They are Tweeting on The Nation, giving results of autopsies now.

[beej]

CAT Telecom CEO taken away by red-shirt motorcyclists

By The Nation

Arisaman Pongruangrong led some 300 motorcyclists to take CAT Telecom CEO Jirayuth Rungsrithong from the CAT Telecom head office at noon Monday.

Arisaman led the protesters to the Cat Telecom head office on Chaeng Wattana Road in Bangkok's Lak Si district at 12:30 pm.

The arrival of the red-shirt motorcyclists terrified CAT Telecom officials.

Security officials tried to prevent the protesters from entering the building.

But Arisaman managed to meet Jirayuth and took him out on a motorcycle.

The protesters demanded CAT Telecom to reconnect broadband connection of PTV station to the satellite uplink station.

Arisaman did not say where he led the CEO to but reporters heard Jirayuth was led to the CAT Telecom's telecom centre in Nonthaburi.

[koolbreez]

The complex assasination of one man would put a stop to all of this. The money would stop flowing, and the violence would be over. There are quite a few people that think this is the only way to get Thailand back as one nation.

[English_Bob]

Their intelligence was flawed. They didn't know the Red Shirts had grenades and automatic weapons.

Well, I am really not sure if it was the reds having weapons (except of those seized from soldiers). Somehow I suspect that there is a "third hand" in the game trying to put oil into the fire. No proof for that but the differrent reports I heard from different sources (among those one guy having been present at Khaosan Road during the events) gave me this idea. Question would be who would be behind this "shadow force" and what his/their aims would be.

But there is one thing: The army completely failed in CRC (crowd and riot control). This I already saw on TV as they did not close their ranks but running around in small groups or even individuals, thus getting very vulnerable and ineffective. And when I heard that the reds seized weapons and even soldiers, I could not stop shaking my head!

Really? You don't know who it is? You must be the only one - it is Seh Daeng. He organised his own private army, armed them, aligned them with the Red Shirts and then bragged that the army had lost against the Red Shirts because his men were fighting alongside them.

The army failed because they were unprepared for war weapons... closing ranks isn't much use against hand grenades, M16s and AK47s.

[beej]

The complex assasination of one man would put a stop to all of this. The money would stop flowing, and the violence would be over. There are quite a few people that think this is the only way to get Thailand back as one nation.

I'd rather see him die a failure than a martyr.

[Loburt]

It would have to made to look like a heart attack or something rather than a killing.

That seems beyond the capabilities of the clowns who can't even catch Seh Daeng.

[English_Bob]

The complex assasination of one man would put a stop to all of this. The money would stop flowing, and the violence would be over. There are quite a few people that think this is the only way to get Thailand back as one nation.

Yes - as one man he would be a figurehead.

But in a list of Jatuporn, Arisman, Weng, Seh Daeng and Chavalit, he'd just be one a field.

[Loburt]

Yes, but he's the one with the money. He's the one whose face is on the shirts.

[English_Bob]

Urgent: a red mob led by Arisman had taken Jirayut Rungsrithong, CEO of CAT telecom, to unknown destination. They claim CAT is jamming the PTV transmissions.... So, add kidnapping to the charges

From Chris Fox

I think some surgical assassinations are in order. Arisman is top of the list now.

[Crustyjuggler]

This Seh Deng fella needs taking out pretty soon... he's raving mad

[LakeGeneve]

Just returned back to the hotel from a waterfall to read this;

18:11 THE NATION: Urgent: EC ruled with majority votes to seek Democrat Party dissolution.

THE NATION: EC will forward the Democrat case to the Attorney General's Office, which will then ask the Constitution Court to make final ruling.

Sound familiar?

[Loburt]

Well this is truly incredible, as the panel reviewing the police report for the EC said the case was full of holes and would not recommend forwarding it to the prosecutor.

But then the EC got a visit from the Reds, who also threatened to visit the commissioners at their homes.

And then they saw the bombs left at other offices.

And then they saw the CEO of CAT kidnapped by a Red mob today and nothing was done about it.

[beej]

sad

[English_Bob]

Red-shirt leader Arisman Pongruengrong led red-shirt protesters to the head office of CAT Telecom on Monday, demanding to know if caused the disruptions to the broadcast signal of the red-shirts' People Channel, according to news reports.

He met with CAT's CEO Jirayuth Rungsrithong, who denied any CAT involvement in the transmission or disruption of the pro-Thaksin PTV signal.

Mr Jirayuth accompanied the red-shirts to the CAT's telecom network centre in Nonthaburi to prove that CAT did not do anything to disrupt the signal.

He denied reports that he was abducted by the protesters and said he was not taken to their rally stage at Phan Fa Bridge.

From Nation

[English_Bob]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/174518/democrat-party-faces-dissolution

Bangkok Post - the idea of those red monkeys cheering and jeering sickens me.

The Election Commission on Monday decided with a vote of 4-1 to dissolve the ruling Democrat Party in connection with the 258 million baht donation case and the alleged misuse of a 29 million baht political development fund provided by the EC.

The decision was made in a special meeting of the EC, chaired by Apichart Sukhagganond, who presented his proposal to the commission for consideration. It was Sodsri Sattayatham, a commissioner, who revealed earlier the meeting would be held today.

In December last year, the EC resolved for Mr Apichart, as the political party registrar, to decide whether to propose the dissolution of the Democrat Party.

The decision dealt a severe blow on the Democrat Party, whose leader and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has been under pressure from the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) to immediately dissolve the House of Representatives to make way for a new election.

The red shirts at the Ratchaprasong intersection, roared with joy on hearing the news from their leader Veera Musikhapong, who said he hoped the case would be proceeded quickly.

Thousands of UDD's red shirts on April 5 converged on the EC headquarters on Chaeng Wattana road and accused the commission of the dragging the case against the Democrat Party. Bowing to the UDD's demand, the EC said it would come up with a decision by April 20.

After today's decision, the EC will forward its decision to the Office of the Attorney General. The OAG will then has 30 days to decide the case. If the OAG's decision contradicts that of the EC, a joint committee would be set up to consider the case. If the OAG agrees with the EC, it will refer the case to the Constitution Court for a final decision.

The Democrat Party has been accused of receiving more than 258 million baht in illegal donations from TPI Polene for use in the 2005 general election without declaring it. The party was also accused of misusing the Politics Development Fund worth 29 million baht.

TPI Polene, a cement firm, was alleged to have made donations totalling 258 million baht to the Democrats through Messiah Business and Creation Co, an advertising company.

The party faces dissolution and its executives could be banned from politics for five years if it is found guilty by the Constitution Court of illegally receiving the donation.

Can't ONE ******* person keep his fingers out of the ******* cookie jar?

[English_Bob]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8615712.stm

Pressure is mounting on Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in the wake of Saturday's deadly clashes between troops and protesters.

Thailand's army chief has called for parliament to be dissolved, apparently echoing protesters' calls for polls.

The Election Commission, meanwhile, has ruled that there is enough evidence to charge Mr Abhisit's party over illegal donations.

Mr Abhisit maintains that his coalition and the military remain united.

The red-shirt anti-government protesters have been camped out in Bangkok for a month.

They say Mr Abhisit's government is illegitimate and have vowed not to leave until fresh elections are called.

Clashes between the security forces and the red-shirts on Saturday left 21 people dead and more than 800 injured.

[English_Bob]

The only consolation is that no matter what happens, they will still be stupid, dirt-poor fuckwits getting excited when they scam someone out of 100 baht.

And when Cambodia invades, they'll be first in the firing line... and asking the military to help.

[MisterMatlock]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/174518/democrat-party-faces-dissolution

Bangkok Post - the idea of those red monkeys cheering and jeering sickens me.

The Election Commission on Monday decided with a vote of 4-1 to dissolve the ruling Democrat Party in connection with the 258 million baht donation case and the alleged misuse of a 29 million baht political development fund provided by the EC.

The decision was made in a special meeting of the EC, chaired by Apichart Sukhagganond, who presented his proposal to the commission for consideration. It was Sodsri Sattayatham, a commissioner, who revealed earlier the meeting would be held today.

In December last year, the EC resolved for Mr Apichart, as the political party registrar, to decide whether to propose the dissolution of the Democrat Party.

The decision dealt a severe blow on the Democrat Party, whose leader and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has been under pressure from the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) to immediately dissolve the House of Representatives to make way for a new election.

The red shirts at the Ratchaprasong intersection, roared with joy on hearing the news from their leader Veera Musikhapong, who said he hoped the case would be proceeded quickly.

Thousands of UDD's red shirts on April 5 converged on the EC headquarters on Chaeng Wattana road and accused the commission of the dragging the case against the Democrat Party. Bowing to the UDD's demand, the EC said it would come up with a decision by April 20.

After today's decision, the EC will forward its decision to the Office of the Attorney General. The OAG will then has 30 days to decide the case. If the OAG's decision contradicts that of the EC, a joint committee would be set up to consider the case. If the OAG agrees with the EC, it will refer the case to the Constitution Court for a final decision.

The Democrat Party has been accused of receiving more than 258 million baht in illegal donations from TPI Polene for use in the 2005 general election without declaring it. The party was also accused of misusing the Politics Development Fund worth 29 million baht.

TPI Polene, a cement firm, was alleged to have made donations totalling 258 million baht to the Democrats through Messiah Business and Creation Co, an advertising company.

The party faces dissolution and its executives could be banned from politics for five years if it is found guilty by the Constitution Court of illegally receiving the donation.

Can't ONE f*cking person keep his fingers out of the f*cking cookie jar?

So was the decision flawed...? Is this "body" not independent? If they were flawed on this decision, was it a bad decision to ban the other political parties? Is it a good idea to ban entire political parties and ALL top executives for the actions of a few? Is that section of the new constitution just?