Govt-Sponsored Pro-Monarchy 'Rally' A Non-Event
Originally published at Siam Voices on September 24, 2010 On the eve of the red shirt protests last Sunday to commemorate the four year anniversary of the military coup and the four month anniversary of the military crackdown against the anti-government protesters, there was this little counter-protest:
At least 50,000 members of the Monarchy Defence Network from seven northeastern provinces (Nong Khai, Kalasin, Loei, Nong Bua Lam Phu, Sakon Nakhon, Khon Kaen and Udon Thani) are expected to turn up today at Thung Sri Muang, a public ground in central Udon Thani, to pledge allegiance to His Majesty the King.
"Govt calls mass gathering to counter reds", Bangkok Post, September 19, 2010
This so-called "Monarchy Defense Network", or the "Unified Volunteer Force to Protect The [Royal] Institution" if you call them literally ("รวมพลังสามัคคีอาสาสมัครปกป้องสถาบัน"), certainly sounded like a big deal and looking at this video report from Channel 7, it certainly looked impressive with all the pink shirt wearing people, a marching parade and tons of flags. More can be seen here from ThaiPBS.
But whose idea was it?
The network was formed by the Newin Chidchob-headed faction of the coalition Bhumjaithai Party, which controls the Interior Ministry. Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul will preside over the gathering in which participants will pledge an oath of allegiance to the monarchy and will take part in a mass parade.
"Govt calls mass gathering to counter reds", Bangkok Post, September 19, 2010
After Bhumjaithai's recent pitch of their amnesty bill, this is another sign by the party to position politically, hoping to emancipate themselves from the Democrat-led coalition government in a run-up to a future election (if that date comes sooner or later). Also, since the interior ministry is attached to this, it is an attempt to counter the red shirts movement by showing themselves being a loyal force in the predominantly red strongholds of the northeast.
And what about the attendance? The Bangkok Post has predicted 50,000 people coming, many other news sources have reported the same number the following day. But ASTV/Manager said only 20,000 came and the national news agency NBT states that only 5,000 showed up!
Considering the comparatively mute media coverage in the following days (and since the red shirt protests on Sunday were larger and more significant), this whole occasion was a non-event. And why do they drag the monarchy into the political discussion again, where almost every political fraction are urging each other not to?
Exclusive: European Red Shirts Rally in Hamburg, Thaksin Phones In
NOTE: The author is NOT affiliated with the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and it's affiliated supporter groups or any other political group of any kind.
Around 120 Thai anti-government protesters from various European countries have gathered on Saturday in the German city of Hamburg to commemorate the forth-year anniversary of the military coup in Thailand and the four-month anniversary of the military crackdown against anti-government protesters in Bangkok.
The participants in this political protest, coming from Germany, France, Denmark and Belgium, are sympathizers of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), also known as "red shirts", a political pressure group demanding the current Thai government to step down and call for new elections, justice for the 91 victims during the anti-government protests earlier this year among other various demands. Many of them are supporters of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has been toppled in said coup in 2006.
The atmosphere was largely jubilant, even though short bursts of the typical Northern German rain showers have interrupted the rally for a short period of time. Over amplifiers the protesters have made their stance over the current Thai political situation. Despite some announcements in German, most contributions over the loudspeakers were made in Thai, leaving many Hamburg onlookers asking what this event was all about.
Part of the rally was a phone-in by Thaksin, who thanked all European red shirts for the support and was overall in a conciliatory tone. He said that misunderstanding has to led conflicts and divisions among Thai people. "Today I think all sides should stop looking after themselves and look forward, no matter if they were wrong or not, and move towards each other", he said, "Bring back unity, bring back joy to the Thai people and let's make our country stronger." He continued: "The four months [since the protests' end in May] where people have killed each other, the four years [since the coup] where people made each other's lives difficult - they should come to an end." Thaksin further states that "today should be a day where we think about the mistakes made in the past and we should resolve them."
When asked by the supporters what he thinks about reconciliation he answered: "Reconciliation means to approach each other [...] and help together to move the country forward. No more yellow, no more red! But all things that were done wrong should face justice. [...] Also, there should be elections so that the people can vote their own government." Thaksin also claimed that the current political situation in Thailand "can't sustain itself for much longer." Thaksin's phone-in was cut short after nearly 11 minutes when the power generator ran out of fuel.
[audio http://dl.dropbox.com/u/531991/Thaksin-PhoneIn.mp3]
Listen to the full recording of Thaksin's phone-in here (MP3)
EXCLUSIVE: Did Thaksin Really Meet Nelson Mandela? (UPDATE)
There was some buzz in the Thai media early this week when pictures of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra depicting him shaking hands with former South African president Nelson Mandela and meeting Mandela's ex-wife Winne Mandela.
The pictures were circulated by his lawyer and former foreign minister Noppadon Pattama (who is these days busy acting as his lobbyist). The resurface of Thaksin comes after over a month of silence with no tweets, no phone-in or any other public announcement. This has lead to the repeated speculation over his health or some even guessing to be plotting something.
The authenticity of the pictures are debatable and at this time no high resolution versions were published yet (with the exception of the news outlets), so of course many questioned if the the whole meeting actually took place. For example, the two head honchos at The Nation, Suthichai Yoon and Tulsathit Taptim, were musing over this extensively in their daily video, especially when Suthichai was concluding:
"We don't know why he [Thaksin] met Nelson Mandela. Whether he was invited, whether he asked to see Nelson Mandela and what was the whole purpose behind that - that is the mystery that a whole lot of people will try to solve in the next few days."
Suthichai Yoon, editor-in-chief Nation Group, in "From the newsroom", August 31, 2010
Apparently NOBODY from the Thai media has so far put some effort to solve this mystery. Has anyone actually tried to reach Mandela's office for confirmation or dismiss the visit? Well, I contacted Mandela's office and asked them 1) if there was a meeting between Thaksin and Mandela, 2) if there are any pictures or other documents made by Mandela's staff of the this meeting, 3) what the nature of the meeting was.
Here's what they answered:
Dear Mr Saksith Saiyasombut,
There was no official meeting between Mr Thaksin and Mr Mandela. Mr Thaksin paid Mr Mandela a courtesy call when he was visiting the country.We do not have photographs or documents as no business was discussed and the courtesy call was during Mr Mandela’s private time. The Foundation did not take any photographs.Yes it was a private courtesy call.
Regards,
Sello Hatang, Manager: Information Communications, Nelson Mandela Foundation
So, there we have it. Thaksin has actually met Mandela! Nevertheless the authenticity of the pictures is still unsolved.
P.S.: Dear Thai colleagues, it was not that difficult to contact Mandela's office!
UPDATE:The Canadian Press has some more details on the visit.
Emerging from weeks of silence, fugitive former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has appeared in Africa, where he says he is dealing in diamonds and visiting Nobel Peace Prize laureate Nelson Mandela.
A photo of his meeting with the former South African president was released in Thailand by Thaksin's lawyer in an apparent move to quash rumours that the divisive ex-prime minister is ill — and to advertise that he's rubbing shoulders with VIPs abroad.
"I travel all the time. Currently, I'm in Africa for diamond mining," Thaksin told the Thai Rath newspaper in an interview published Thursday. He did not specify if he was still in South Africa. He said rumours of his failing health were "lies."
The Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg confirmed that the visit took place last Friday [August 27, 2010].
"It was not a meeting, it was a courtesy call," spokesman Sello Hatang said. He said he did not know what they discussed.
"Fugitive former Thai leader visits Africa, meets Nelson Mandela, deals in diamonds", by Jocelyn Gecker, The Canadian Press, September 2, 2010
The said interview with Thai Rath can be read here (in Thai), where also said why he quit as economical adviser to Cambodian PM Hun Sen ("I was annoyed!").
The Department of Sluggish Investigation's Probe Into Protests' Deaths
Note: This post has been originally published on August 25, 2010 in series of guest blogger posts for Bangkok Pundit at AsianCorrespondent. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) held a press conference on Monday to inform about the progress of the inquiry of the 91 deaths during the anti-government protests. What they have announced though leaves much to be desired.
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) says it cannot at this stage reach a finding in its investigation into the deaths of 91 people killed in the violence between April 10 and May 21 during the street protests by the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).
This was announced at a press conference on Monday by Col Fuangwich Anirutthewa, secretary to the justice minister, and Pol Col Narat Savetnant, deputy director-general of the DSI.
Pol Col Narat said the DSI has so far received 266 cases from police involving the violence between April 10 and May 21.
From its preliminary investigation into the 91 people who died it could be concluded at this stage only that the deaths were unnatural and caused by other persons under Article 148 of the Criminal Procedures Code.
The DSI knew only what caused their death and types of weapons used, but could not yet say who killed them.
"Little progress in red probe", Bangkok Post, August 23, 2010
First of there's the question on how they come up with the figure of 91 deaths during the protests. Looking at the official figures form the Bangkok Emergency Medical Service indicate that according to this list (PDF) published on May 23, 86 people have were killed. But this document show 87 names of the dead with the last victim being dated on May 14, five days before the last day of the protests and of the street battles. It appears that not included are the six people killed inside Wat Pathum, a designated safe zone many protesters fled to after the red shirts dispersed on May 19, but were still shot inside the temple. So how do these numbers all add up to 91?
And then there was this very interesting detail made during the announcement:
Autopsies on 89 Thais, including 11 policemen and soldiers, confirmed that all had died from bullet wounds.
"Investigators fail to identify killers of foreign journalists", Deutsche Presse Agentur via The Nation, August 23
Again a considerably spectacular claim by the authorities, if you think about that various sources claim different causes in various cases such as the death of Col. Romklao Thuwatham during the clashes on April 10, as he was reportedly killed by a bomb. On the other hand though other news sources have reported that the DSI "had received only 42 autopsy results from officials in each jurisdiction," (Source) so it is highly possible that all the 42 autopsies report that they all have died from bullet wounds and the rest might have from other causes as well.
Another focus of the announcement were the deaths of the two foreign reporters, Japanese Reuters cameraman Hiro Muramoto and Italian photographer Fabio Polenghi.
In the deaths of two foreign journalists, Reuters Japanese cameraman Hiro Muramoto, 43, and independent Italian press photographer Fabio Polenghi, 45, Pol Col Narat said investigators could only conclude they were killed by high-velocity bullets. They have not been able to identify their killers.
However, it could not yet conclude who fired the weapons due to lack of witnesses at the scene, and some of their belongings such as mobile phones and digital cameras had disappeared. [...]
He said the DSI had paid special attention to the two cases since they were delicate and could affect Thailand's relations with Japan and Italy.
"Little progress in red probe", Bangkok Post, August 23, 2010
It is delicate indeed, as on the same day the Japanese foreign minister was on a visit to Thailand and also visited the site Muramoto died.
He was shot in the chest during the clashes on April 10, at Khok Wua intersection, not far from the Democracy Monument as the last pictures on his camera filmed the carnage between soldiers and red shirts.
Fabio Polenghi was killed during the final push of the military onto the red shirts protest site at Rajaprasong on May 19. German journalist Thilo Thielke has published his and his colleagues' investigation into the death of the Italian at New Mandala. Key excerpts of this very detailed account include...
On 21 May, two days after the Fabio’s death, the Police Forensic Institute did a forensic examination. The day after, Fabio Polenghi’s body was cremated in a simple and emotional ceremony attended by his younger sister Isabella, his friends, and his colleagues. Three months later, the Department of Special Investigations (DSI) – the “Thai FBI” – which is in charge of the investigation of Fabio’s killing, still refuses to publish the forensic report. “The investigation is not finished yet”, says Colonel Naras Savestanan, the deputy-director general of DSI. He says he cannot answer basic and crucial questions such as those about the kind of bullet which killed Fabio, the angle and distance of shooting and the location of the killer. Other important questions deal with the location of military sharpshooters who killed many demonstrators on that day as well as the location of the mysterious Black shirts – the armed wing of the Red movement. But also here, the questions find no answers. Or only very vague ones. (...)
“It is more likely that the Italian journalist has been hit by fire from advancing soldiers at the ground level, on Rajdamri road. I cannot see clearly why sharp shooters would particularly target him”, says a journalist who was on the military side on Rajdamri on 19 May. The type of bullet which killed Fabio, if it is revealed publicly someday, is not the most crucial element as Black shirts and military personnel have used some similar weapons. The most important elements are the entry point of the bullet, the description of the wound and the shooting angle, which could cast some light about the location of the shooter. Without these data, there will be no certainty on the identity of who killed the Italian journalist.
"Who killed Italian photographer Fabio Polenghi?", by Thilo Thielke, New Mandala, August 17, 2010
There's still much yet to be investigated and there's still much unknown about the circumstances of the victims. But initially the DSI announcement revealed basically nothing new. We already knew that the two foreign journalists were shot, we already knew that nearly all of the victims died unnaturally and we also already knew that the authorities' inquiry into the deaths will be sluggish at best and will have to do much more in order to convince us that, as they said it, "truth will be established" - but will the public also fully know about it once the investigations have concluded?
Confusion Before Saturday's Protests over Preah Vihear
Note: This post has been originally published on August 7, 2010 in series of guest blogger posts forBangkok Pundit at AsianCorrespondent.
Veera Somkwamkid, leader of the Thailand Patriot Network (photo courtesy of Eric Seldin aka @thaicam, click here to see the rest of his gallery)
As previously blogged here, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), by the time you read this, are now on the streets again to protest in front of Government House over the ongoing Preah Vihear temple issue, despite the emergency decree - or are they?
Over the course of Friday, developments changed rapidly over the legality of the protests, the venue and in the end who's actually in charge of the protests that have witnessed a fallout between different fraction of the protesters. On Friday morning this was the status quo:
PAD to gather in front of the Govt House starting 8AM tomorrow, to pressure the Govt to cancel MOU43 http://bit.ly/9vptQH
Tweet by @TAN_Network (TAN News Network) on Friday, Aug 06, 2010 at 05:31:44
(Note: TAN News Network is the English language sister channel of ASTV, the PAD's news outlet)
But there were still questions about the legality of the protests, since we still have a state of emergency ever since the anti-government protests some months ago. On this issue, the first conflicting reports appeared. First it was reported the Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) has issued that the rally "does not violate the emergency decree". In a way the CRES would legitimize the protester's claim why they don't violate against the state of emergency. Last week, when the same protesters were rallying in front of the Bangkok bureau of UNESCO, many were claiming to "protect the country" so they would not violate the emergency decree.
But then the local police has announced the area around Government House is a no-go area. So, the police disagrees with the army. Well, that's not the first that has ever happened.
Short time later though, ASTV reported that the CRES has done a complete 180 degree turn of its earlier decision and also banned protesters from the site. Later that day, CRES has announced more details on the ruling:
CRES announces Government House 'off limits'; four roads around complex closed from 8pm, violators face two years imprisonment,Bt40,000 fine
Tweet by @MCOTEnglishnews (MCOT English News) on Friday, Aug 06, 2010 at 13:08:52
With the legality dealt there were still confusions on who actually are protesting on Saturday and where to go now since Government House was declared off-limits.
To understand who were are dealing with, it has to be noted that it is not actually the PAD (the yellow shirts) that are leading the latest Preah Vihear protests, but the Thailand Patriot Network (TPN) of Veera Somkwamkid. More on him later, but it can be already said that these two groups are affiliated with each other. Officially, the PAD (especially with Chamlong Srimuang being present all the time) are there just to support this campaign.
The more surprising (or not) was the announcement in the early evening that the PAD would move its protest somewhere else:
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday said that yellow shirts have agreed to move their rally from the Government House to Kilawes Stadium in Din Daeng area. The decision to move the rally site came after two-hour-and-a-half meeting between Abhisit and representatives of yellow shirts network.
"Yellow rally to move from Government House to a Din Daeng stadium PM", The Nation, August 2010
The Kilawes Stadium is located in the Thai-Japanese Sports Complex in Din Daeng, a Bangkok district that has been constantly the scene of street riots between protesters and soldiers in the past years. It was also reported that the protest has been 'downgraded' to a 'forum' to 'discuss' about this matter. Later, Bangkok Post reported that TPN also agrees to move.
But then in the evening, things have changed again!
Veera's group - Network of Preah Vihear Protectors - is determined to gather outside the PM's office in Government House today as planned. "We don't acknowledge the deal between the prime minister and the other group," Veera declared on television yesterday. [...]
PAD leaders were initially planning to rally in front of Government House to demand that Abhisit revoke the 2000 memorandum of understanding on boundary demarcation with Cambodia as well as voice their opposition to Preah Vihear's inscription as a World Heritage Site.
The Dharma Army Foundation, led by Chamlong Srimuang, later agreed to gather at the Thai-Japanese Stadium in Din Daeng today to express their views, concerns and visions with respect to Preah Vihear. Abhisit was to join the forum later in the day.
However, Veera refused to compromise and continued calling on people to join his protest.
"Defiant PAD group to go ahead with rally", The Nation, August 7, 2010
Evidently, Veera and his group have deflected from the PAD to stage their on protest at Government House, despite the area being sealed off. This apparent split between him and the PAD goes back on a series of incidents and partly some mudslinging between the two. Last year, Veera has led a group of 4,000 protesters under the PAD banner to the Thai-Cambodian border to protest about this very Preah Vihear issue that ended in riots with locals. The following day, the PAD leaders in Bangkok have denied any connections or endorsement to this group and their actions.
Then, earlier this year in June, Veera and the PAD were reported to have fallen out with each other. Matichon has obtained email exchanges between the PAD leaders with the PAD supporter's group in the US and Veera answering questions to someone. In the first mail, the PAD leaders have responded and denied to accusations made by Veera, an anti-corruption activist and until recently host of his own show on ASTV. The accusations includes being overcharged by ASTV to hold his own show, in which as a consequence Veera pulled it off the air and offered it to For Humankind TV (FMTV), that belongs to the religious buddhist sect Santi Asoke, of which PAD leader Chamlong is a devotee. I will not further go into the details of the two mails, as they go too deep to be relevant to this topic.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how and if at all the security authorities will deal with the two protests, especially the one in front of Government House. If the UNESCO protest of last week is anything to go by, it can be expected that the security forces will be far more lenient to the PAD and their affiliated groups than they were with the red shirts. Let alone the fact that prime minister Abhisit has met with these group for talks (again) shows that the what influence they still have over the government and also one must not forget that the yellow shirt leaders still have not been charged for the seizure of Government House and the Bangkok airports in 2008, as they indictments have been repeatedly postponed just as recently as last week.
We can also expect that both these groups will further push their nationalistic agenda under the pretext of 'protecting' the country. Whether the government will give in to the protesters (in a way they already did) or not, this will further complicates the already tense relations between Thailand and Cambodia.
Pongpat's Acceptance Speech - A Lèse Majesté Case?
Note: This article was originally published on July 31, 2010 in a series of guest blogger posts for Bangkok Pundit at AsianCorrespondent.
On May 16, when the street battles between the soldiers and the anti-government protestors were bringing large parts of Bangkok to a grinding halt for days already, elsewhere life went on as nothing has happened as for example the Nataraj Awards, the national television and radio awards, took place that evening.
The most notable moment during the award ceremony was the acceptance speech of actor Pongpat Wachirabanjong for best supporting actor. Here's the video with English subtitles.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/6xYfbUIGqW4&w=600&h=360]
The speech has, as evidently seen in the video, touched many Thais and hit a nerve among a certain people. It was forwarded via email, Twitter and heralded as the 'best speech ever' or 'or true patriotic act of loyalty'.
Last week, the very same actor has been hit with a legal charge for lèse majesté...
Actor Pongpat Wachirabanjong will be summoned to hear his lese majeste charges on July 29, and if he fails to show up after two summons have been issued, police will seek an arrest warrant for the man, Deputy Bangkok Police Chief Pol MajGeneral Amnuay Nimmano said yesterday.
The police are also planning to invite witnesses, lawyers and Thai language experts to listen to the actor's acceptance speech at this year's Nataraj Awards as part of the investigation. Amnuay said the case should be concluded within a month.
Despite media and social networks describing Pongpat's speech as a moving declaration of his love for His Majesty, singer Phumpat Wongyachavalit filed a lese majeste complaint against the actor on June 23, accusing him of using inappropriate words.
"Pongpat summoned to hear charges", The Nation, July 22, 2010
Police Wednesday summoned Pongpat to surrender to face lese majesty charge after a singer filed complaint with police, alleging Pongpat had insulted His Majesty the King by simply calling His Majesty as "father".
"PM says police should consult special advisory panel on Pongpat's case", The Nation, July 22, 2010
This is certainly a very odd case, since the use of the word "father" (or more correctly "Father") in connection to HM the King is widely used in Thai language.
Even the prime minister got involved in this case and has suggested that the police should contact a recently set-up advisory board that deals with these kind of cases. The result came back very quick and the case against Pongpat has now been (unsurprisingly) dropped.
Nevertheless this whole strange act again shows the discrepancies of the authorities dealing with lèse majesté cases. (I'm NOT discussing the law itself!) One can be amazed by the speed the police has dealt with this charge - from filing until the dismissal it took only just more than a month. Also, no efforts have been wasted, language experts have been invited by the police to determine whether the use of word in this context was illegal or not. There are other more obvious cases that are still lingering in legal limbo.
The other point is Pongpat's speech itself. The key phrase "If you hate our Father, if you don't love our Father anymore, then you should get out of here!", which was followed by the audience cheering and applauding enthusiastically, sets a worrying subtext of "if you're not for us, you're against us" - and even more scarier was the reaction by the crowd.
Why Was The 'Sorry Thailand' TV Ad Banned?
Note: This article has been originally published on July 22, 2010 in a series of guest blogger posts for Bangkok Pundit at AsianCorrespondent. Earlier this week we have reported on the banned TV commercial "ขอโทษประเทศไทย" (Sorry Thailand). For those, who haven't seen it yet, here's the video with English subtitles:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dNIu8_-iU8&w=600&h=360]
The ban has created some considerably public uproar and the censorship board, which consists of representatives of the free-TV channels and other 'experts', has gotten itself into the crossfire of criticism.
The ad was made by a group called "Positive Network", which is made up by "people from many professions such as advertising, PR, event, regional community representatives, [corporate] companies, government officials and academics from all across the country." During the launch event on June 16, the group states that their main goal is to "terminate the divisions in society". One of the executives of the network has mentioned the launch of an advertising campaign, even though this one was called "ต่อไปนี้ถ้าเธอพูด ฉันจะฟัง" ("From now on when you talk, I will listen"). Daily News has more about the launch of the group (article in Thai).
The founder of the "Positive Network", Bhanu Inkawat, appeared on ThaiPBS recently to talk about the ad and his reaction on the ban.
Mr Bhanu Inkawat [...] said that the purpose of the advertisement is "to let the Thai people realize what problems Thailand has right now, which are not just only the protests and the burning of buildings, but many more that have their roots. So [if] we don't go to the bottom of the problem, we'll only be able to solve the problem in the short term and it will come back."
Translated from: "แจงสาเหตุแบนโฆษณา"ขอโทษประเทศไทย", ThaiPBS, July 18, 2010
The TV programme also had Kiatisuk Wattanasak, a member of the censorship committee board, to give his point of view on the issue:
"After we have [initially] watched it, we all liked this ad. However, there are a few things that are not conform with the rules [...]. [They] have not sent us any documents, nothing for us for consideration. We don't know if they had permission for [certain] footages [in the ad], even if it's news footage we have to ask if they have permission to re-air it in this ad. [...] So [without any documents proving it] how can we possibly let this through?"
Translated from: "แจงสาเหตุแบนโฆษณา"ขอโทษประเทศไทย", ThaiPBS, July 18, 2010
He also goes on to give other reasons for the ban that were reflected in a statement later this week after the board has met once again, subsequently defending it's decision to withhold the ad from airing but not banning it altogether.
The censorship board has denied banning the controversial TV commercial "Thailand, We Apologise", saying it was in the process of correcting the advert before allowing it to be aired.
Certain scenes in the commercial, lasting about 20 seconds, would be cut because they were deemed to be inappropriate and could be against the law, the board said in a statement released yesterday.The producers of the advert submitted it to the board for approval on June 21 and on June 28 they reported to the board about changes they had made to to correct some parts that the board had said were against the law.
The board said the producers were now in the process of correcting the problematic parts of the commercial and would then resubmit it for approval.
Scenes to be removed include those of protesters torching public property [on May 19], security officers holding weapons and getting ready to fire them, some pornographic images, some deemed offensive to religious institutions, images of protesters [both yellow shirts and red shirts] gathering in political rallies in a way that might trigger a state of unrest or affect national unity or internal security.
"Controversial ad 'not banned'", Bangkok Post, July 21, 2010
Taking the objected scenes out of the ad, there wouldn't be much left of it. Also, if you remove the footage of the red and yellow protests, that will totally miss the point. But looking at a statement from another board member, little does surprise me here:
The manager of Channel 7's censorship division Sneh Hongsuwan, also a member of the committee, said the panel agreed to ban the commercial because it felt the images could cause rifts in society.
"Instead of giving positive messages, it will only remind viewers about the conflict. We believe that the clashes are in the past, and we should let bygones be bygones and think about positive things. If this commercial was put on air, some images would have to be cut out," Sneh said.
"Ban of 'apology' advert puzzles PM", The Nation, July 20, 2010
Oh, how convenient! Let's forget about the past and look forward without actually considering why we're in this mess in the first place! This is a bad case of 'mai pen rai' ('no big deal') where people tend to forget about a certain issue if it is out of sight. It fits the current trend of suppressing of what happened that lead to the lastest escalation of the political crisis in some parts of society. Again, some people try to put a blanket over the ever-increasing rift and wonder in hindsight why we don't make it over to the other side. A solution cannot take place if there's not a confrontation of the problems and it's effects. But, and I realize I'm going out on a limb, part of Thai culture is to avoid confrontation and uncomfortableness with everyone at all costs.
On the other hand it is to be questioned if the ad, if it gets ever aired, would have any effect in making a change? As mentioned above, the ad is just one of many campaigns the group will do in the future. Nonetheless, the controversy can be counted as a win-win situation, since it got a certain portion of people talking about it, the original uploaded YouTube video got over half a million views and also got many people asking themselves what on earth the censorship committee was thinking.
Censorship on TV in Thailand has always been a delicate matter and, as 2Bangkok.com shows with examples of censoring smoking on 'The Simpsons', it is also pretty inconsistent. Many measures appear to many just downright absurd and this case shows yet again how outlandish and outdated the rules are. Speaking of outlandish, have you spotted the larkorn (soap opera) scene in the ad? Yeah, that kind of nonsense of women slapping each other is the norm! Hypocrisy in Thai lakorns - that's a whole double standard case in itself!
Housekeeping: Panel, Berlin & Guest-Blogging
Got some housekeeping announcements here for you: First off, the panel discussion we have hosted here in Hamburg last Monday went really well! I will write a round-up about this event (and the academic conference in Trier as well) soon, because secondly...
I'll be on the road again for the next few days, this time to a workshop at Humboldt University in Berlin about the Thai political crisis (they even have the same title "Thailand am Scheideweg" as ours!). They don't have a website for this event but you can read the programme here (PDF). I'll also give a little talk about myself and about the panel in Hamburg.
And finally, political blogger Bangkok Pundit has announced that he'll take some time off during the next few weeks. I'm happy to announce that I will be guest blogging for him during his break alongside other well-known bloggers. I want to thank Bangkok Pundit and his blogging platform AsianCorrespondent (AC) for this opportunity! Naturally, there'll be some slight chances. During the time of my guest blogging, most articles will be published on AC first and then on this blog one or two days later. Certain topics such as academia and general housekeeping will stay here.
Make sure to follow me on Twitter (@Saksith) for all the latest posts (and rants).
UPDATE: Venue Changed! – Announcing: Panel on the Thai Political Crisis at the University of Hamburg
Note: Official announcement in German language below.
I'm happy to announce one of the reasons why I have been very busy the last few weeks: The student body of the faculty of Thai Studies at the University Hamburg, Germany (which I'm a member of) are hosting a panel discussion on the ongoing political crisis in Thailand. Since events of this kind about this topic on an academic level are rare in Germany, this is a great opportunity to fill this void.
We have invited, in my opinion, the best German-speaking experts on Thailand to discuss the causes, the protagonists, the issues of the political situation and are also trying to answer the question, if there is a way out of it.
The speakers are Dr. Wolfram Schaffar, political scientist at the University of Hildesheim and Dr. Marco Bünte, research fellow with the GIGA Institute of Asian Studies. Oh, and some Thai blogger is also on the panel...
Prof. Volker Grabowsky, head of the department of Southeast Asian Studies, will give an introductory essay.
The title of the event is "Thailand am Scheideweg?" ("Thailand at the Crossroads?") and takes place on Monday, 5 July 2010 at 18.30h at lecture room C in the main building at the University of Hamburg. Note: this event is in German.
If you know anybody in or near Hamburg, please pass this on to them!
------------------------Official German announcement------------------------
Der Fachschaftsrat der Thaiistik an der Universität Hamburg lädt ein:
"Thailand am Scheideweg?" Podiumsdiskussion zur politischen Krise in Thailand
Diskussionsteilnehmer: Dr. Wolfram Schaffar, Universität Hildesheim Dr. Marco Bünte, GIGA-Institut für Asienstudien Saksith Saiyasombut, Student und Blogger
Einleitender Vortrag: Prof. Dr. Volker Grabowsky, Leiter der Abteilung Südostasien, Universität Hamburg
Für zwei Monate waren große Teile Bangkoks von den größten politischen Demonstrationen des Landes lahm gelegt worden. Die so genannte „Vereinigte Front für Demokratie und gegen Diktatur“ (UDD), auch bekannt als die „Rothemden“, protestierte gegen die Regierung von Premierminister Abhisit Veijajiva und forderte diese auf, das Parlament aufzulösen und Neuwahlen auszurufen. Die Proteste wurden am 19. Mai 2010 nach einer mehrtägigen militärischen Operation aufgelöst. Insgesamt kamen bei gewaltsamen Ausschreitungen in den zwei Monaten über 85 Menschen ums Leben, über 2000 wurden verletzt. Seit dem Militärputsch gegen den damaligen Premierminister Thaksin Shinawatra im Jahr 2006 befindet sich das Königreich Thailand in einer politischen Krise, die das Land immer mehr in zwei politische Lager spaltet.
Die Abteilung Sprachen und Kulturen Südostasiens und der Fachschaftsrat Thaiistik an der Universität Hamburg lädt zu einer Podiumsdiskussion mit Thailand-Experten ein, um zu ergründen, wie es weiter in Thailand gehen soll. Wie konnte es zu dieser politischen Krise kommen? Wer sind diese politischen Fronten und was sind ihre Positionen? Hat die Demokratie in Thailand noch eine Chance?
Zeit: Montag, 5. Juli 2010, 18.30 Uhr bis 20.30 Uhr Ort: Hörsaal C, Hauptgebäude, Universität Hamburg, Edmund-Siemers-Allee 1, 20146 Hamburg
:)
Burmese Arrested Among Redshirts
Thirteen Burmese migrant workers are among the hundreds of anti-government Redshirt protesters currently being held by the Thai authorities, according to a Burmese advocacy group in Thailand. The group, the Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB), confirmed that 13 of the 422 detained Redshirt protesters identified by the Thai government earlier this week are Burmese nationals.
The Burmese detainees, all of whom are men, remain in police custody. Ten are being held at a police station in Pathum Thani Province, two others are in another province and the remaining one is in a special detention center, according to TACDB.
“We don't know if they were arrested during the protests or because they violated the recent nighttime curfew,” said Myint Wai, an official from TACDB, adding that his group is now trying to provide legal counsel to the detained Burmese. (...)
"Burmese Among Redshirt Detainees", The Irrawaddy, June 12, 2010
Chambers: The Challenges for Thailand’s Military
New Mandala has posted a guest article by Paul Chambers, a senior research fellow at the University of Heidelberg, Germany and an expert on civil-military relations in southeast Asia, about the Thai military and its upcoming challenges. Key excerpt:
In the aftermath of the May 19 victory over the Red Shirts and Thaksin, Thailand’s military officer corps appears united above, but fissured below. (...) But the perils facing the Queen's Guard will be less likely to arise from Thailand’s elected civilian governments given their temporary and frail character—especially with Thaksin still on the run. Rather, the clique’s greatest challenge will be to diminish internal military resentment from junior officers and thus ensure its enhanced control over the armed forces. If Prem and Surayud successfully balance various military classes to perpetuate Queen’s Guard military control, then some semblance of unity within an arch-royalist armed forces may well persevere. Yet if such balancing is not undertaken or proves unsuccessful, then internal military divisions could become increasingly violent."The challenges for Thailand’s arch-royalist military", by Paul Chambers, New Mandala, June 9, 2010
Chambers give a very detailed account into the structure of the army's current top command line, its origin and what lies ahead. I recommend you to read it.
Al Jazeera's Listening Post on Social Media During The Thai Protests
Al Jazeera's media magazine Listening Post has reported on Thailand again in it's latest episode, this time focussing on the social media aspect during the protests especially during the deadly street battles in May. Again, yours truly was asked to give my two cents on the issue again. The Global Village Voices segment begins at the 7:20 minute mark, this time alongside Florian Witulski (@vaitor on Twitter), a German journalism-student in Bangkok who spend much of the last weeks running around the streets of Bangkok and, despite the chaos, was live-tweeting from the ground (see this profile on him at CNNgo).
For some strange reason this week, we both got subtitled...
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOrLOmbQhtY&w=600&h=360]
BONUS: German media magazine ZAPP also did a short report on Twitter's role during the clashes, featuring Eric Seldin alias @thaicam of Thaicam Production Services.
What Is Conor David Purcell Up To?
Does anyone remember Conor David Purcell, the Aussie who appeared on the red shirt stage and was fighting along with the anti-government protesters? Of course you do! How else can I explain myself that my blog post on him from earlier this month is by far the most read article on this blog. It has accumulated 1,370 clicks by today and at least nearly half of them came in this week. So what happened to him that has increased the interest again? Well, the bloke's in jail!
THAI police have arrested an Australian man in Bangkok for allegedly violating an emergency decree, after a court handed him a suspended sentence for a visa infringement.
Conor David Purcell, 30, was arrested and charged for breaching emergency law, an offence which carries up to two years jail time, Thai police said.
Speaking from his cell, Mr Purcell said he was a liaison for the military because he was the only one prepared to run through the bullets, the ABC reported.
Mr Purcell, who served for seven years in the Australian army, was working in Bangkok as a language teacher.
Sources from the immigration detention centre in Bangkok said Mr Purcell was a regular speaker at recent anti-government rallies in Bangkok.
A spokesperson for Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs said the man was detained on Sunday and charged with overstaying his visa.
"Australia Conor David Purcell arrested over Thai protests", The Daily Telegraph, May 25, 2010
Purcell has been arrested alongside a Briton named Jeff Savage, who is accused to have taken part in the looting and the burning of the Central World shopping center shortly after the military crackdown on May 19, at least he was caught on tape yelling to do so.
Well, even prime minister Abhisit had something to say about these two.
"For the Australian man it's not yet clear, but in the case of the Briton he's involved with the (red shirt) movement in Pattaya," Abhisit said. He said officials would also probe other allegations against the men.
There have been reports that Purcell was a former member of the Australian army and that he received training as a sniper, however embassy sources are understood to have suggested neither claim was true. Purcell, arrested on Sunday, is now in Klong Prem prison.
Abhisit said: "Indepth investigations will be carried out to find out whether they had any other role."
"Two foreigners arrested", The Nation, May 26, 2010
Both men showed up at the court today for their first hearing and while Savage was reported to have "broken down" (source), Purcell was in a fiercely defiant mood.
Dressed in orange prison-issue shirt and shorts, barefoot and shackled in leg-irons, a furious Mr Purcell was led in to Pathumwan Municipal Court in Bangkok yesterday, protesting that he was being unlawfully held.
Visibly angry at his detention, Mr Purcell, 29, a former soldier, refused to stand when told and then yelled at the judge that he would not accept the court's right to try him. ''Nobody in this country has authority over me,'' he said.
He brushed aside a representative from the Australian embassy who was asking him to be quiet and continued his tirade, shaking and pointing at the judge. ''I'm not under Thai law. I'm only obeying international law. I'm head of the red gang,'' he yelled.
Jeff Savage, a British man also arrested for his role in the protest, sitting next to Mr Purcell in court, burst into tears.
"Australian launches tirade in Thai court", The Sydney Morning Herald, May 28, 2010
To say the least, especially with the last sentence, he's not doing himself any favor now...
State Of A National Mind - Some Personal Thoughts
"Bullet holes at my office, 5th fl. (Chidlom)", picture courtesy of @Nok_Kasama
A lot is being said about time: that it slips by fast, that it is money, that it makes you wiser, that it gives you the opportunity to reflect and also that it heals wounds. A week ago the biggest political protests the country has ever seen was dispersed by the army in a military crackdown that itself was not the disaster that shocked the nation - it was the aftermath that has left not only parts of Bangkok, but also many parts of the country in rubbles. It was the final day of a military advance that killed over 50 and injured nearly 400 people - the total body count of the protests is 85 and over 2000 respectively. It was that May 19th, 2010 that has ripped an even bigger wound.
This was different from the deadly clashes of April 10, or any other riots that happened in the capital. We witnessed an escalation of violence, bottled-up anger and disappointment and also the definite destruction of the national myth of unity and peace. Even though the national anthem says that "Thais love peace" but the next line also states that we are not afraid to fight. But what are we fighting for?
There is no doubt that a large group of the red shirt protesters have a genuine political consciousness and want a democracy, where their vote counts, where their voices and concerns are heard in Bangkok and that their lives are improved with immediate and visible effect. Like it or not, the United Front against Dictatorship for Democracy, as they are formally called, are a political movement you cannot get rid off that easy anymore. They are here to stay! But to say that this group is only made up of uneducated, poor rural workers that are easily lured in with gloomy promises is factually wrong and devalues any reasonable discussion.
The government side, at least prime minister Abhisit, attempted a soft approach to the protesters and even when the red shirts seized the important commercial part of Bangkok, he remained relatively mild-tempered. The fact that it dragged on for nearly two months is partly because he, and probably many people in Bangkok as well, have underestimated the red protesters‘ stamina and defiance.
But, as in any conflict, the radical voices are the loudest and over the course of the protests the moderate and reasonable were being pushed aside. This was evident when Abhisit offered the red shirt leaders a so-called 'roadmap to reconciliation' that included new elections by November. It came at a time when the red shirts suffered a massive public fallout after a militant wing of the movement stormed through the nearby Chulalongkorn Hospital in search of any hidden soldiers. It was the last chance for a peaceful solution and to walk away without losing face. But any hopes were dashed when the UDD leaders failed to agree and added more and more counter-demands. This was the moment were the moderates on all sides have lost. What happened next was the beginning of the end.
Even if the protesters are now dispersed, the streets of Bangkok are clear again and many people are relieved, unfortunately though, the worst isn‘t over - the mess has just begun! What can happen now is a radicalization of all fractions. People do not want to trust each other even more, the prejudice one had of the other is now more solidified. The divide between Bangkok and the rest of the country will grow and as the mob attacks in the provinces have shown, conflicts and clashes will not take place in the capital exclusively. If we are not careful things will get uglier.
A taste of what‘s to come can be found online already in the past week where a large part of Thai netizens display their loyalty to the status quo and at the same time fiercely attack everyone who dares to criticize it or even have a different opinion. Especially CNN has come under fire for their alleged biased reporting during the protests, starting with an open letter. And even though this has already been proven to be factually wrong in many parts, people still praise this letter without any question. This single case shows that many people are less willing to hear from voices from outside and that are different to their‘s, they are immune to criticism. This marginalization of opinion diversity can only lead to isolation.
And here‘s in my opinion one of the main problems that lead to this tragedy: How can there by in any way be a reconciliation of all, if the majority refuses to listen what others have to say? How will there be harmony without understanding the issues in order to resolve them? And how will there be unity if every single Thai does not start to look at each other face-to-face on equal terms?
It is not a national tragedy just because many Bangkok residents have a few places less to make a shopping therapy. It is a national tragedy because people have been killed, damage has been done not by an foreign threat, but by Thais themselves. It is a national tragedy because never before it was shown that bluntly that the institutions and their participants, that are essential in a democratic system, are ineffective to solve problems.
Now that the government has issued an arrest warrant against Thaksin for terrorism charges, they have intensified a seemingly obsessive witch hunt that has blinded parts of the nation (including the newspaper of the same name) for years now. What many slowly seem to realize now is that even though it may have started with Thaksin, who is despite several human rights violations and cronyism according to some is unfortunately already the best what Thai democracy had to offer, this is now way beyond him now. This is a result of a collective failure that became evident during the Thaksin years and even more evident since the 2006 coup.
What I hope for this country is that the people will not try to put a blanket over the ever-increasing rift and blindly preach peace, love and unity until the next escalation. I hope that everybody will sincerely think for a moment why we got to this point and does not forget this at the next best diversion. This national wound takes more than time to heal. What it needs is a reconsideration of everything, our way of life, the definition of "Thai-ness", the way we teach our children how to think independently and openly voice their opinion, the perception of a good government, a fair and balanced media. In general, a mature democratic society where a reasonable debate can take place in order to solve the social problems of the nation.
I have my doubts though that it will happen anytime soon...
Live-Blog: Troop Movement to Rally Site, Crackdown Imminent UPDATE: Red Leaders Giving Up, Rally Site Evacuated
Reports are coming in of large troop movements towards the rally site, after there was yet another rumor by the red shirt protesters that there might a crackdown at 5 AM this morning.
More updates as they come!
For all the latest in this rapidly changing situation, follow me (@Saksith), @bangkokpundit, @anasuya, @danieljrivers, @newley, @karmanomad, @vaitor, @photo_journ, @Journotopia, @aelacallan, @agnesdherbeys, @BKKApologist, @markmackinnon and @aleithead on Twitter for live updates.
Also check this map of dangerous zones in Bangkok which will be constantly updated by Richard Barrow, AVOID THE RED AND GREEN AREAS AT ALL COST.
Feel free to comment and post footage you found online, took yourself. You can send them in to saksith [dot] saiyasombut [at] gmail [dot] com
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All times local Bangkok time
21.17h: Last update for today: I think after such an extraordinary terrible day, we all need to sit down and come to our senses for a while. I'll sure do after blogging about this for 16 straight hours.
Good Night and stay safe, Bangkok!
P.S.: Here's something to laugh in these difficult times, courtesy of NotTheNation.
20.55h: As of now, there are still major fires in various spots in Bangkok, most prominently the Central World shopping center.
Also, one red shirt leader, Dr. Weng Tojirakarn, is still missing and another one on the run, Arisaman Pongruangrong, has been reported to be arrested.
Today, six people have died including one Italian photo-journalist. The total death toll since Thursday is 42, 361 injured.
The curfew is still going until 6 AM the next morning.
20.00h: The curfew is now in effect until 6 AM in all of Bangkok and in a few provinces. 21 additional provinces are now under curfew, including Chiang Mai.
18.30h:
The Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) has announced curfew in Bangkok and nearby cities and provinces in the North and Northeast [Mukdaharn and Kalasin] earlier placed under emergency law.
People in areas under curfew are not allowed to leave their homes from 8pm to 6am, with immediate effect.
"Curfew in Bangkok, many provinces", Bangkok Post, May 19, 2010
18.15h: After the national anthem at 6 PM, many free tv channels have now switched to the special emergency broadcast by the government. So far, it plays patriotic music and old CRES announcements.
17.47h: Central Word, the largest shopping mall in Thailand, is still well on fire. (Picture by @vaitor)
17.34h:
17.26h: "Burnt remains of Ubon govt building ศาลากลางอุบลเหลือแต่ซาก เสา" (Picture by @dudesweet)
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17.09h: Govt spokesman appeared in yet another CRES announcement, urging all people to stay inside during the curfew (8PM-6AM), so that officials can work more effectively. Also, all TV channels will broadcast a special emergency broadcast - meaning the govt will take over the program.
16.55h:
16.37h: The Rajaprasong stage, one hour ago... (Picture by @markmackinnon)
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16.11h: CRES has just announced a curfew beginning 8 PM until 6 AM.
16.04h: Meanwhile, Channel 3 gone off air as their building is being besieged by a mob outside. Also, Bangkok Post, The Nation and Thai-Asean Network have now closed and sent their staff home. Also, journalists and photographers are being hassled and even attacked as they retreat and also take off their green press armbands.
16.01h: A sidenote: Prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has not been seen publicly all day yet...!
15.50h:
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"Udons beautiful old wooden city hall, destroyed" (Picture by @Doug_Udon)
The scene at Udon Thani, as protesters storm the city hall
15.25h: It is reported that the stock exchange is now on fire. Also, the Channel 3 building is being attacked by an "angry mob".
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15.04h:
Italian media have named as Fabio Polenghi as the photo-journliast shot and killed in clashes Wednesday between Thai troops and demonstrators in Bangkok.
The reporter was identified by a friend from television images as Polenghi, the ANSA newsagency reported.
The 45-year-old Milan-based Polenghi was reportedly in Thailand on assignment for several magazines.
"Italian reporter killed in Bangkok clashes", Deutsche Presse-Agentur via The Nation, May 19, 2010
14.42h: There are reports of riots in other cities in the country as well, such as Udon Thani and Ubon Ratchathani.
14.22h:
2:21pm: Thai security forces have ended their offensive at a sprawling protest encampment in central Bangkok and the situation is under control, the army spokesman said on Wednesday.
5 leaders Jatuporn, Natthwut, Kwanchai, Nisit, and Wiphuthalang have turned themselves in to police. Weng, Suporn and Arisman on the run.
Tweet by @veen_NT
14.00h: CRES is now doing a TV announcement. Army spokesman Col. Sansern describes how the operation and the reclaiming of Lumphini Park took place.
Meanwhile, it appears that the last remaining protesters have set the Eastern barricades at Ploen Chit on fire. Al Jazeera's Aela Callan reports in front of a huge smoke cloud just outside Maneeya Building, where she (and many other foreign journalists) are located as BTS Chidlom seems also covered in smoke.
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13.47h: While the main rally site at Rajaprasong is now evacuated, there are still other small stages at various spots in the city, with the largest located in Khlong Toei. Will the dispersed protesters meet up here?
13.37h: Chaotic scenes at the main rally stage, as the crowd cries in disbelief over the surrender speech by red shirt leaders Jatuporn and Nattawuth as it was cut short by loud bangs, possibly gunfire. The leaders were rushed off the stage by security guards. Last words were calling for all protesters to evacuate to the National Stadium, where authorities have set up buses to bring them home.
13.26h: Red leaders Jatuporn and Nattawuth are on the stage at the main rally site and have announced to surrender and report themselves to the police.
13.05h:
12:56pm: Thick black smoke coming out near the Asok intersection, tyres burning near the intersection as well as in front of the Sheraton hotel.
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Picture by @lindavanderwijk
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"Persistent but rather light smoke coming from Asok intersection, as seen from Sukhumvit 29, at 13.00pm" (Picture by @AndrewHurd)
12.46h: Talking about unconfirmed reports on the red leaders...
12.41h: Also still unconfirmed and conflicting are the reports on the whereabouts of the red shirt leaders, the yellow shirts's news outlet ASTV and their English-language sister channel Thai-Asean News Network are reporting that Arisman, one of the hardliners has fled. Govt spokesperson has earlier claimed "all red shirt leaders" have fled.
12.35h:There are still unconfirmed reports about the 3 shot journalists, one of them is reported death.
10.40h: Govt spokesperson Panitan makes another CRES announcement, declaring that Lumphini Park has been reclaimed and also states that some red shirt leaders were fleeing, requests citizens to call police if they spot them. Also, there are busses parked at the National Stadium that are ready to take any protester home that wants to.
10.33h:
(AP) Update: AP photographer sees 3 foreign journalists shot during Bangkok army operation, 1 appears dead.
Tweet by @babyfishie Thanyarat Doksone
10.06h:
Two bodies of civilians were found on Rachadamri Road in the protesters' encampment after troops broke through their barricades, said a Reuters witness. It appeared the protesters had suffered gunshot wounds.
"Two people killed as Thai troops and protesters clash", Reuters, May 19, 2010
A branch of Thailand's Kasikornbank was on fire in Rama IV road in central Bangkok on Wednesday, Thai television reported, as anti-government protesters and troops fought nearby.Protesters were seen burning tyres and gunfire could be heard from the area.
"Thai Kasikornbank branch on fire in Bangkok -TV", Reuters, May 19, 2010
11.03h: BBC and AP report that witnesses "have seen bodies of two men with bullet wounds".
10.42h:
10:37am: Thai Kasikornbank branch on fire in Bangkok in Rama IV road in central Bangkok on Wednesday, Thai television reported.
10.25h:Al Jazeera was live on air when troops, APCs and also members of the press are entering the rally site after the barricade has been flattened at the Silom site.
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10.20h:
Senator Lertrat Rattavanich on Wednesday called off the Senate's involvement in the mediation to mend fences between the government and the red shirts.
"I will not today convey the message from the red shirts to the government because it is too late as decision has been made to disperse the protesters," he said.
Lertrat said the government might have no other option but to use force to disband the rally site after giving the red shirts plenty of time to end their protests.
"Senate cancels mediation talks", The Nation, May 19, 2010
9.48h:
One red-shirt protester was shot dead at Sarasin intersection on Wednesday morning, reports said.
Wattanachai Aiumnak was shot in the chest and died at the scene. His body was now being kept at the Police General hospital.
One red-shirt told reporters that he believed Wattanachai was shot by a sniper hiding somewhere near Lumpini Park, not by soldiers stationing at the Saladaeng intersection.
Pol Lt Gen Jongjate Aaojenpong, senior medical doctor at the Police General Hospital, said in a television interview that four injured red-shirt protesters were admitted to the hospital.
"Two of them were shot in the chest and stomach and now receiving a surgery" he said.
"Red shot dead at Sarasin intersection", Bangkok Post, May 19, 2010
9.39h: Govt spokesperson Panitan just appeared on TV in the first CRES announcement and spoke in English that citizens are instructed to avoid the conflict areas, as the authorities are pushing forward to the rally site.
9.33h: Pictures of flattened barricades at Sala Daeng:
Picture by Reuters
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Picture by @thidarat
UPDATE 9.27h: Twitter user @fishmyman is reporting of many roadblocks on the roads leading to central Bangkok, like this one.
UPDATE 9.08h: APCs at Sala Daeng (Picture by @vaitor)
UPDATE 8.59h: APCs are repeatedly ramming the bamboo barricades, e.g. this screencap from Thai TV (by @RichardBarrow)
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UPDATE 8.55h:
UPDATE 8.50h:
The government is determined to disperse the rally today and the only option left for the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship leaders is to surrender and enter the justice process, prime minister's secretary-general Korbsak Sabhavasu said in a television interview on Wednesday morning.
Mr Korbsak said talks between the government and the UDD to be mediated by Senate Speaker Prasobsuk Boondej has been completely ruled out now that government forces are determined to disperse the protesters.
What the protesters should do now is to stop burning and surrender, he said.
"Korbsak: Govt determined to end rally", Bangkok Post, May 19, 2010
UPDATE 8.45h: From Reuters' live-blog
More news on the two people who were shot. Reuters witness said one was shot in the chest while trying to help a fellow protester. The demonstrators responded by firing at soldiers.
8:42am: "We are still ready to talk. My line is open but the protest has to end first," government advisor Korbask Sabhavasau told Channel 3 television.
UPDATE 8.36h: Unconfirmed reports claim that at least two people have been shot. Meanwhile, it seems that the situation has clam down for now at Silom.
UPDATE 8.20h:Al Jazeera'sWayne Hay reports via phone from Rama IV Road, gunfire can be heard. He also says that gunshots are "being fired back from the barricade."
UPDATE 8.15h:
The website of Matichon newspaper quoted officials at the underground train that a group of black-clad men were trying to set fire at the Kloen Toei station by smashing the windows and pouring gasoline but managed to stop them earlier this morning
UPDATE 7.45h:
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"Thick smoke near Chulalongkorn Hospital now. 7.40am" (Picture by Thanyarat Doksone)
UPDATE 7.35h:
APC approaches Sala Deang bunker; fire exchanged
Tweet by @TAN_Network
Update: Thai troops fire guns into encampment of protesters in central Bangkok - AP
Tweet by @BreakingNews
UPDATE 7.25h: Screengrab of Al Jazeera
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7:22am: Reuters report on the tear gas fired at protesters. Witness said the tear gas was aimed at demonstrators close to the Rama IV statue in front of Lumpini park
UPDATE 7.15h:
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"bangkok burning 7 am" (Picture by @KevinRevolinski)
UPDATE 7.07h: Al Jazeera, CNN and ThaiPBS show smoke throughout Bangkok. Also, CNN's Dan Rivers has spotted 'men carrying guns, could be soldiers'.
UPDATE 7.00h: This picture is linked from Reuters' live-blog. The sign reads 'Dusit Thani Hotel' and is right at the Silom Intersection opposite of the South end red shirt barricade.
UPDATE 6.54h:
SEVEN armored vehicles and at least two vanloads of troop reinforcements have converged at the perimeter of an anti-government protest camp in Bangkok.
The armored personnel carriers (APCs) had machine guns mounted on top, and the troops were dressed in balaclavas and carried weapons and riot shields, an AFP photographer said.
Thailand's army spokesman declined to comment on whether a crackdown was imminent on the protesters, who are defying a Monday deadline to disperse after occupying Bangkok's main retail district for six weeks.
"I will not answer any questions," spokesman Sunsern Kaewkumnerd told AFP.
"Troops, armored vehicles move in on Thailand Red Shirt protests", by David Williams, The Daily Telegraph via heraldsun.com.au
UPDATE 6.47h:
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"several buildings in dindaeng set on fire" (Picture by @vaitor)
UPDATE 6.40h: CRES is airing a taped announcement from yesterday, saying that all new protest sites that have been set up outside the main rally site are deemed illegal, as is the main one itself. Also, the selling of used tires is declared illegal, since they are used in burning barricade in order to create smokescreen.
Why are they interrupting the live program right now with a repeat announcement?!
UPDATE 6.24h:
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APCs moving in to Sala Daeng (Picture by @tidarat)
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"4am more soldiers come to silom ..." (Screencap from ThaiPBS by @thaitvnews)
In Case Against The Open Letter Against CNN
An open letter against CNN's coverage of the deadly clashes as posted on Facebook. Excerpt:
As a first-rate global news agency, CNN has an inherent professional duty to deliver all sides of the truth to the global public (...) not merely one-sided, shallow and sensational half-truths. (...) CNN should not negligently discard its duty of care to the international populace by reporting single-sided or unverified facts and distorted truths drawn from superficial research, or display/distribute biased images which capture only one side of the actual event.Mr. Rivers and Ms. Snider have NOT done their best under these life-threatening circumstances because many other foreign correspondents have done better. All of Mr. Rivers and Ms. Sniders' quotes and statements seem to have been solely taken from the anti-government protest leaders or their followers/sympathizers. Yet, all details about the government’s position have come from secondary resources. No direct interviews with government officials have been shown; no interviews or witness statements from ordinary Bangkok residents or civilians unaffiliated with the protesters, particularly those who have been harassed by or suffered at the hands of the protesters, have been circulated.
"Open Letter to CNN International" by Napas Na Pombejra, May 17, 2010
Bangkok Pundit has dissected the open letter sentence by sentence and asked the question "Is CNN's coverage really biased?". (SPOILER ALERT: The answer is NO!)
But that still does not stop many people from unquestioningly praising that letter (see the comments in BP's blog post and also the links below), especially The Nation seem to really love this letter and run with it, like the publisher Suthichai Yoon tweeting it and even reprinting it in Wednesday's paper edition...
Further reading:
- Somtow's World: Don't Blame Dan Rivers
- CNN: Life inside the Thai live fire zone (YouTube video of Dan Rivers describing his current work situation, also mentions that letter)
- Justin Alick: Open Letter to Foreign Journos (It's satire for those not seeing it!)
Mixed Signals to Possible Ceasefire Deal
After a relatively quiet night, apart from a few sporadic clashes, in Bangkok there were signs that might bring both sides back to the negotiation table.
Red-shirt leaders had earlier accepted the offer of fresh talks to be overseen by members of the Senate. (...) The offer to mediate talks came from the head of Thailand's Senate.The offer to mediate talks came from the head of Thailand's Senate, Prasobsuk Boondej.
Red-shirt leader Nattawut Saikua told journalists that the protesters backed the proposal because "if we allow things to go on like this, we don't know how many more lives will be lost".
Mr Prasobsuk said exploratory talks had yielded positive results, although his offer to mediate had earlier been publicly rejected by the government.
He has apparently met the prime minister twice to discuss the issue, says the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Bangkok. And on Tuesday met red-shirt leaders in a shipping container behind the protesters' main stage.
He left after an hour or so, saying the talks had been "positive".
"Thailand government rejects Bangkok protest talks offer", BBC News, May 18, 2010
But in the same article...
Thailand's government has rejected an offer of mediated talks with red-shirt protesters aimed at ending an increasingly violent confrontation. (...)
But the government said the red-shirts had to leave their Bangkok camp before any talks could take place.
"The situation has escalated and become violent with armed groups and terrorists attacking the government, officers in the field and civilians," cabinet minister Satit Wonghnongtaey said in a televised news conference.
"The situation could be resolved and lead to negotiations when demonstrators disperse."
"Thailand government rejects Bangkok protest talks offer", BBC News, May 18, 2010
Well, there we are at the same problem we had for days now, neither side is willing to give: the government wants the red shirts to disperse first, the red shirts want the government stop their soldiers from shooting on people.
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For all the latest in this rapidly changing situation, follow me (@Saksith), @bangkokpundit, @anasuya, @danieljrivers, @newley, @karmanomad, @vaitor, @photo_journ, @Journotopia, @aelacallan, @agnesdherbeys, @BKKApologist, @markmackinnon and @aleithead on Twitter for live updates.
Also check this map of dangerous zones in Bangkok which will be constantly updated by Richard Barrow, AVOID THE RED AND GREEN AREAS AT ALL COST.
Feel free to comment and post footage you found online, took yourself. You can send them in to saksith [dot] saiyasombut [at] gmail [dot] com
Live-Blog: The Crackdown, Day 5
"Rama IV smoke cloud" (Picture by @wildorchid9999)
For the fifth day now we have to witness firefights and clashes in central Bangkok.
The main thing to watch today is the ultimatum set by the government to the protesters to disperse at 3PM local time. It has not been announced yet what they will do after that.
In an email sent out to all German citizens, the German embassy has warned everybody in Bangkok to stay inside, since the last ultimatum is to be considered "very serious".
After being shot Thursday, renegade Maj.-Gen. Khattiya Sawasdiphol, also known as 'Seh Daeng', succumbed to his severe head injury and was pronounced dead this morning.
As usual, I'll try to keep this post updated.
Also, follow me (@Saksith), @bangkokpundit, @anasuya, @danieljrivers, @newley, @karmanomad, @vaitor, @photo_journ, @Journotopia, @aelacallan, @agnesdherbeys, @BKKApologist, @markmackinnon and @aleithead on Twitter for live updates. Also check this map of dangerous zones in Bangkok which will be constantly updated by Richard Barrow, AVOID THE RED AND GREEN AREAS AT ALL COST.
Also, feel free to comment and post footage you found online or took yourself.
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Note: All times are local Bangkok time
04:00h - Last update for today with the latest on the Ramkhamhaeng incident by German journalist Florian Witulski (@vaitor on Twitter):
police on ramkhamhaeng road, dont see any crowd yet... some people look a bit upset though
sorry for the delay // protester crowd from ramkhamhaeng moved towards lat phrao and divided into several small camps on intersections
the protesters are definitely not students // small camps build up very fast, little walls of tires are already finished at raminthra
each camp aprox. 100 protesters, at all not more than 300! // no violence, but reds have been really aggressive with me taking photos
03:00h - The situation at Ramkhamhaeng seems to have cooled off now. According to eyewitness reports, a group of the Student's Federation of Thailand (SFT) has set up a mobile stage (more or less a large truck) and were making a speech on the truck, when some a group of people were trying to break it up, causing some commotion. Also, it is reported that some gunfire was heard and the crowd dispersed.
02:22h - There are some conflicting reports coming in fightings at Ramkhamhaeng University after protesters attempted to put a mobile stage. Whether firearms were used cannot be verified at this moment.
23:30h
An aide to Thailand's prime minister says a Red Shirt protest leader has called him and proposed a cease-fire between Red Shirt fighters and troops.
Korbsak Sabhavasu says he received a call on his cell phone Monday from Nattawut Saikua, one of the leaders of the Red Shirts, and they talked for five minutes.
Korbsak said he told Nattawut that if the Red Shirt fighters retreat to their encampment "there will be no single bullet fired by the soldiers."
At least 37 people have been killed in fighting between troops and Red Shirt protesters who are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the dissolution of Parliament and new elections.
"Protest leader calls Thai PM aide, seeks ceasefire", Associated Press, May 17, 2010
22:00h - Meanwhile, the stage in Bon Kai (Khlong Toei) that was set up yesterday has attracted more and more people. @bkknoboru, a Japanese journalist, has uploaded a picture of the scene and claims that "thousands of redshirts" have gathered there.
21:00h - CRES has just ended another TV announcement. Army spokesperson Col. Sansern was showing clips, including the "baby incident" earlier today and also a supposed looting of a 7-11 by protesters, but only the aftermath was seen - "only books and magazines were left there," Col. Sansern quipped. No mention of curfew or what the army will do after the deadline has passed for six hours now.
20:25h - Govt spokesperson Panitan said in the most recent BBC interview that the health of many protesters is poor and wants to send in medical teams to the rally site soon. He also states that "a political solution is still on the table".
20:00h
Thai PBS reports troops have moved closer to Ratchaprasong & now staying at MBK - Map: [Link]
Tweet by @richardbarrow
19:30h - Photographer John Le Fevre reports a large group of people has assembled at the Victory Monument.
18:30h - Now in Bangkok at rush hour time...!
"Lower suk.: army roadblock in distance" (Picture by Newley Purnell)
18:10h
Thai authorities will give red shirts protesters more time to leave the area after a 3pm deadline passed, government spokesman Panithan Wattanayakorn said Monday.
The government's main focus is to convince women, children and elderly people who have received wrong information to leave the Rajprasong rally site. Authorities will set up more checkpoints around the city to prevent more chaos, Panithan said. (...)
CRES has failed to say what it would do if the red shirts did not meet the deadline.
"Red shirts given more time as deadline passes : Panithan", The Nation, May 17, 2010
17:55h - Picture of the petrol truck taken form Channel 3.
17:51h
Situation at Bonkai escalates as petrol truck scene in the area; gunshots heard continuously
Tweet by @TAN_Network
Channel 3 also reports the same.
17:50h - YouTube has removed the video of a baby at the barricades, but you can watch it here on CNN iReport.
16:40h - No major developments being reported from neither the rally site nor from anywhere else. Fights in many areas are still going, loud explosions and gunfire can be heard.
15:50h - Almost an hour passed the deadline now. Keep in mind the ultimatum was for the protesters to disperse, there was no word on what the authorities want to do after the deadline has passed.
15:01h - Deadline has passed now, there's still music and dancing at the main rally stage. Al Jazeera reports that negotiation talks earlier have collapsed
Meanwhile, this video has appeared online - it speaks for itself...
[YouTube has removed to video due to "violation of terms". Pffft!]
14:50h - 10 minutes left to the deadline and still no sign of anybody giving in.
14:40h
According to the Erawan Center (of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration) as of May 17 at noon, there have been 256 injuries and 35 deaths (see Thai language PDF). The breakdown of the 35 people who have been killed is here (Thai language PDF). Of the 35 persons killed there was 34 civilians and one solider.
"How many people have been killed and injured? May 17 Update", Bangkok Pundit, May 17, 2010
Videos: Anger in Ubon Ratchathani
The Thai Report, a blog similar styled to The Drudge Report, has posted some video footage from Ubon Ratchathani in the Isan region, a stronghold of the red shirts. The first video is from Friday and shows a rally stage who were, apart from the usual singing and dancing and debating, mourning one killed man from Ubon, Inn-Plaeng Theswong (อินแปลง เทศวงศ์), a 32-year-old taxi driver. His name also appears on this official list of killed victims so far (PDF).
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjZmNOWpOeQ&w=600&h=360]
The second video is from Sunday and shows a large group of red shirts protesters setting fire barricades in front of the 2nd Air Division/21st Wing Air Combat Command Air Force Base. Also, see this photo gallery.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl2R7pInbSg&w=600&h=360]
Shortly after that, the CRES has declared a state of emergency in five more provinces, Ubon Ratchathani is one of them.
The last video shows that the red shirts have gathered at the same stage as Friday again, this time to watch the speeches from the main rally stage in Bangkok and also watch some foreign news clips as well. Even though the state of emergency has been declared in this city, they were still setting up burning barricades and as the blogger, who posted the video, states "saw only one policeman and he was watching the videos in the red shirt media tent."
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fy943TA-c7c&w=600&h=360]
Even though this may not be representative for other provinces in Thailand, but these incidents show that news from the capital are spreading very fast these days and the more people are killed, the more the anger in the rural areas grows. The red leaders have been repeatedly urging the red shirts in the provinces to rally at the city halls and, in case the Bangkok siege is forcefully cracked down, to storm them. These pictures also suggest the growing divide between Bangkok and the rest of the country that will grow with each day the crisis goes on and even if the current protest will come to an end (in what form whatsoever), the conflict for potential in rural Thailand grows and the situation can get volatile in the run-up to the next election (whenever that will take place...).
Live-Blog: The Crackdown, Day 4
Latest developments report that a curfew might be imposed in all the affected areas. As of now it has not been officially announced yet. The BBC reports that it has been cancelled for today. Many reporters confirm that somehow supplies (i.e. food) have reached the rally site after food shortages were reported due to the blockade by the army and, as one reporter of The Nation claims, some looting of the nearby shops has begun. The same reporters from The Nation also have claimed to saw pick-ups "disguised as medical vehicle" smuggling food into the rally site.
ThaiPBS reports that the largest group of protesters at the Rajaprasong rally site are women and elderly. The red shirts have now begun to relocate all children, women and elderly protesters away from the stage into the nearby located Wat Pathum Wanaram (location of temple). CRES have urged the red shirts to disperse by Monday 3PM.
Needless to say, BTS Skytrains and MRT Subways have suspended their service today again and for tomorrow as well. Also, all Bangkok schools were asked to close for another week, as tomorrow would have been the start of the new school term.
The official medical authorities have announced the numbers of deaths and injured since Thursday is now at 25 (all civilians) and 215 respectively (PDF file).
As usual, I'll keep this post updated. Also, follow me (@Saksith), @bangkokpundit, @anasuya, @danieljrivers, @newley, @karmanomad, @vaitor, @photo_journ, @Journotopia, @aelacallan and @aleithead on Twitter for live updates. Also check this map of dangerous zones in Bangkok which will be constantly updated by Richard Barrow, AVOID THE RED AND GREEN AREAS AT ALL COST.
Also, feel free to comment and post footage you found online or took yourself.
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22:20h CEST: Last update for today: New York Times has written an article earlier today about the negotiation efforts of the red shirts.
After three days of wild street fighting that left 29 people dead and hundreds wounded, the leader, Nattawut Saikua, also offered to withdraw militant fighters from the streets and negotiate if the government called a cease-fire and withdrew its troops.
But he put forward a condition that was immediately rejected by the government, insisting that any talks be mediated by the United Nations. Such a condition would have legitimized the protesters as an internationally recognized party to talks. (...)
"Thai Officials and Protesters Fail to Agree on Talks", by Seth Mydans and Thomas Fuller, New York Times, May 16, 2010
If this highlighted part was not a translation error or something similar, it was the first time that the red shirt leaders have acknowledged the presence and link to (probably black shirted) militant fighters. Whether it is true or not, the government and the CRES will exploit this soundbite with pleasure.
One of the demands by the red shirts was that the United Nations to mediate between them and the government. But as mentioned earlier, government spokesperson Panitan already essentially told the United Nations to f*** off not to intervene into an internal matter.
21:40h CEST: Military journalist Michael Yon is currently tweeting from the basement from the Dusit Thani Hotel. According to him the gunfire and explosions have ceased, but he still stays put. Check his tweets for his Facebook page for updates.
20:40h CEST:
Guests at Bangkok's Dusit Thani hotel opposite Red Shirt camp told to shelter in basement after building hit by gunfire, explosion - AFP
Tweet by @markmackinnon (Mark MacKinnon)
16:15h CEST: Wow! What a CRES presser that was? As mentioned before Col. Sansern has trying to rebuke the pictures and videos that have been circulation including (including this video of army snipers and these facebook pictures of killed civilians) and lastly what showing a soldier firing what was captioned as "M79 grenade launcher", but Col. Sansern rebuked this and showed that it was actually a tear gas launcher. And to show how it worked he whipped this out:
Talking about a PR disaster...
15:40h CEST: CRES has made it's third TV announcement today. First a letter from deputy prime minister Suthep essentially saying that friends and family members of protesters in the Rajaprasong area should contact them and urge them to leave.
After that army spokesperson Col. Sansern is briefing the public on pictures and video that are circulation on the web. Details later.
14:00h CEST: Apparently a small mobile stage has been set up at Klong Toei. Pictures by John Le Fevre.
13:45h CEST: CRES has made another TV appearance, govt spokesperson Panitan Wattanayagorn has announced that the next two days (May 17, 18) are declared public holidays. Also, state of emergency has been declared in five more provinces: Ubon Ratchathani, Mahasarakam, Roi-et, Nongbua Lampoo and Sakol Nakhon.
Furthermore, Panitan has dashed the red shirts' earlier calls for an international mediator or the United Nation to interfere, basically saying the UN to f*** off saying that the Thai govt will not allow foreign intervention as it is (still) a sovereign country.
The CRES announcement ended that the govt will impose financial sanctions on 113 companies and individuals that are involved with the red shirt protesters.
13:10h CEST: This amateur video shows a man wearing a black balaclava and an assault rifle (may be M16) running past a soi in Bon Kai - the same spot as the picture below (notice the big red sign on the other side of the road). The people were running back into the soi because they thought this armed man would be a soldier.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmj4EOngkl0&w=600&h=360]
13:00h CEST:
A curfew will not be imposed at the moment as security forces can still control the situation, Aksara Kerdpol, the army's assistant chief of staff said Sunday. "It's not necessary to use that measure now," he said.
Center for the Resolution of Emergecy Situation's spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said earlier that a curfew has become necessary to stop the armed red shirts.
A meeting of authorities concerned met at about 2pm to decide whether to impose curfew. The timing and the exact locations of the curfew will be announced later, Sansern said.
"Curfew not to be imposed : army", The Nation, May 16, 2010
11:50h CEST:
All around me unarmed men. Saw one protester across road return fire with what looked like handgun concealed by a box. 1st weapon I've seen.
11:40h CEST:
"Din daeng at 16.30" (Picture by Alessandro Ursic)
Live pic from rama 4/klong toey market intersection.new tires just delivered. (Picture by @lindavanderwijk)
11:20h CEST:
"Massive tire fire in front. Army still shooting. Pinned for now." (Picture by John Le Fevre in Bon Kai)
"Plume of smoke. Heavy gunfire. Whizzes not bangs. Bon Kai, Bangkok." (Picture by Mark MacKinnon)