Demonstrations in Bangkok--BBC Report

[Brad the Impala]

Thai leaders face huge protests


Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Bangkok to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his cabinet.

They occupied the offices of the state broadcaster NBT and surrounded the main government offices.

At one point they forced their way into Mr Samak's offices - prompting him to take shelter in an army base.

The protesters say Mr Samak is merely a proxy for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, now in self-imposed exile.

Mr Samak has appeared on television promising decisive action, saying: "We will do everything to bring the situation back to normal."

But he added that it was not yet time to call on the military to restore order.


Organisers of the protest - a loose grouping called the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) - have been able to galvanise thousands of supporters to their cause.

Tuesday's rally was just one of many street demonstrations they have held so far this year.



"We are now controlling most of the key government offices to prevent them from coming to work," said Sondhi Limthongkul, a leading figure in PAD, according to AP news agency.

"Today, we declare a long, long holiday for the government."

Protesters stormed the offices of the state broadcaster NBT, forcing it off the air. Police arrested several dozen protesters, but then a second wave broke through police lines to reach the station.

Live television also showed about 100 protesters sitting on the lawn of the prime minister's official compound, Reuters news agency said.

This is a mass protest movement with a difference, according to the BBC correspondent in Bangkok, Jonathan Head.

Despite the name, the People's Alliance for Democracy is actually campaigning for an end to democracy, arguing that in Thailand Western-style elections have only led to corrupt and ineffective governments.

Instead, it wants a largely appointed parliament, and a legalised role for the military as a kind of referee in Thai politics, our correspondent adds.

The PAD has already played a central role in Thai politics, beginning three years ago as a movement to bring down Thaksin Shinawatra, then the most powerful elected leader Thailand had ever known.

Its protests set the stage for the coup that ousted him in 2006, and probably helped ensure the legal cases against him went ahead this year, resulting in Mr Thaksin and his wife going back into exile.

Mr Samak is still defiant. His government has a clear majority in parliament, and he insists he retains a democratic mandate from last December's election.

But he seems unable to shake off this determined and apparently well-funded opposition movement, our correspondent adds.

He has also been unable to persuade the security forces to control the protests, raising suspicions that the PAD must have some powerful backers inside the armed forces or among the royalist elite.





news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7581565.stm (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7581565.stm)

If not careful they could bring economic ruin & sanctions from trading partners. Like it or not it is a demcratically elected government and Nobody is above the law now it seems.

[thrillbill]

PAD , a political party, needs to wait until the next elections and get the masses to vote for whom they think would make a decent leader for Thailand. I've had to wait 8 years in my country (USA) before MY country has a chance to get rid of a bozo. Like PAD, many of us wanted to throw Bush and Cheney out before election day, but we were all too busy working and paying off our credit cards and home mortgages. :blackeye:

(Note: Amazing how the PAD have so much time on their hands to sit around and have these protest meetings.)

but we were all too busy working and paying off our credit cards and home mortgages.

Nothing of what you speak will ever happen here.

WRONG, they were too busy driving their SUVs, watching R HBO movies on television and dreaming of a house with swimming pool, ohh, yeah, that's why they are paying off their credit card bills.

[Geezer]

"Like PAD, many of us wanted to throw Bush and Cheney out before election day, but we were all too busy working and paying off our credit cards and home mortgages."

If someone is too busy to vote, how can they complain about the outcome of the election?

If I run up more credit card bills, and buy more house than I can afford who is to blame?

Years ago I got into credit card problems, and I know exactly whose fault it was -- mine.
Experience is the best teacher. The problem is that it gives the test before it teaches the lesson.

[sjaak327]

PAD , a political party, needs to wait until the next elections and get the masses to vote for whom they think would make a decent leader for Thailand. I've had to wait 8 years in my country (USA) before MY country has a chance to get rid of a bozo. Like PAD, many of us wanted to throw Bush and Cheney out before election day, but we were all too busy working and paying off our credit cards and home mortgages. :blackeye:

(Note: Amazing how the PAD have so much time on their hands to sit around and have these protest meetings.)

The PAD is not a political pary, nor do they even have the plan to ever run for office. If they would ever run for office, they wouldn't get massive support. That's why they try and get the current government to resign. Make no mistake, these are a bunch of clowns who want to turn back the clock a hundred years, all in the name of doing good for Thailand.

The truth however is, that they want to make sure the rural poor don't get their votes counted in full. They (the PAD) have learned the hard way after years of Thaksin dominance.

Democracy mainly is done using the Ballot Box, not demonstrations and Rallies. The PAD don't represent the majority of Thais (far from that). They represent the middle class, and have a right wing agenda.

If not careful they could bring economic ruin & sanctions from trading partners. Like it or not it is a demcratically elected government and Nobody is above the law now it seems.

Economic ruin........bring it on.....Money goes further, boys even cheaper :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: I love it

[Geezer]

I greatly fear that Thailand, my adopted country which I never plan to leave, is little more than a banana republic.

Well, I came here for affordable sex, and I suppose we will always have that.

I greatly fear that Thailand, my adopted country which I never plan to leave, is little more than a banana republic.

Well, I came here for affordable sex, and I suppose we will always have that.

The real problems began in earnest when the Kingdom began to believe itself to be anything other than a banana republic.

And no, don't count on affordable sex going into the future, or even sex at all, at least with anyone even remotely desirable. Things change and they are changing rapidly now.

[joe552]

I greatly fear that Thailand, my adopted country which I never plan to leave, is little more than a banana republic.

Well, I came here for affordable sex, and I suppose we will always have that.

The real problems began in earnest when the Kingdom began to believe itself to be anything other than a banana republic.

And no, don't count on affordable sex going into the future, or even sex at all, at least with anyone even remotely desirable. Things change and they are changing rapidly now.

Sorry, didn't quite understand your prediction of what would happen to sex (affordable or otherwise). Will the military ban it or something?

Since prostitution is illegal in Thailand, I can't get my head round this concept of affordable sex.

I greatly fear that Thailand, my adopted country which I never plan to leave, is little more than a banana republic. You've only just worked that out?

I greatly fear that Thailand, my adopted country which I never plan to leave, is little more than a banana republic. You've only just worked that out?

You are not alone. Apparently their ex-PM has always thought the same as well.

:-(

[piston10]

In view of the disruption to traffic caused in recent times by PAD demonstrations, could it be of any significance that PAD is also the acronym of an illness - peripheral arterial disease?

[thrillbill]

"Like PAD, many of us wanted to throw Bush and Cheney out before election day, but we were all too busy working and paying off our credit cards and home mortgages."

If someone is too busy to vote, how can they complain about the outcome of the election?

If I run up more credit card bills, and buy more house than I can afford who is to blame?

Years ago I got into credit card problems, and I know exactly whose fault it was -- mine.
Experience is the best teacher. The problem is that it gives the test before it teaches the lesson.
__________________________________________________ ____________________________________

What I said is a bit "tongue and cheek" -but after working and living overseas 20 years...(being away from the "push " to get in debt up to your arse) I make this observation as one of the reasons why Americans (over 30years) are so lethargic towards Washington's dealings.

I make this observation as one of the reasons why Americans (over 30years) are so lethargic towards Washington's dealings.For all of you Americans who bitch and moan and compare America unfavourably with Thailand, just remember that in America you do have regular, scheduled elections where vote-rigging (except in isolated part) is not a run-of-the-mill expectation, and there has been no military coup since ... oooh, 1776

[Brad the Impala]

PAD has gotten too far ahead of itself
By The Nation
Published on August 27, 2008


Thailand returned to the brink yesterday, and this time we cannot say it was because of a belligerent prime minisฌter blinded by power or irrational mobs armed with clubs and stones. The socalled "D-Day" of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) began badly at dawn, and when darkness fell, threats of violence were more real than ever.

The question is who should take the blame if blood is spilled, if Thais again resort to killing Thais. With most, if not all, key contentious political issues now in the hands of the courts, the PAD's highly provocative action yesterday was completely uncalled for. The group's actions - including briefly seizing control of a television station, invading government offices and occupying Government House - belied the PAD's own claims of nonviolence.


Although the movement may have shot itself in the foot, that is the least of the problems. The consequences from yesterday's events could be far beyond the collapse of an ideological grouping whose motives have gone from clear-cut to incomprehensible. There could have been - and may still be - a bloodbath. The military could come in and this time set back democracy for real.


Media organisations' stinging rebuke of the PAD's actions should serve as a warning, not least because it comes from press umbrella groups that have been largely sympathetic to the PAD's cause. The movement has started to be seriously questioned, because Thailand has been trying to break through the political impasse with the help of a judiciary that has demonstrated remarkable integrity and independence.



As a civic group, the PAD has the right to protest peacefully. Yesterday, its leaders may have bitten off more than they can chew, because they were suddenly no longer all about protecting the public interest, but rather about determining who should stay and who should go aside from Thaksin Shinawatra. The intentions may still be noble, but yesterday's means was anything but.



We can only pray it was a mere slip, and in the end good sense will once again prevail. The Samak government's response to the high-tension chaos was commendable, and the prime minister for once refrained from being his own belligerent self. But despite yesterday evening's superficial calm at Government House and Samak's unusual composure, threats of violence remained very real last night.



Politically, the PAD went too far. Democratically, the movement got too far ahead of itself. The danger of all of this is simply violence that could spiral out of hand, which could then destroy the very things the PAD has pledged to serve and protect.


www.nationmultimedia.com/topstory/read.php?newsid=30081610 (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/topstory/read.php?newsid=30081610)

[Bob]

you Americans ...... just remember that in America ......there has been no military coup since ... oooh, 1776

Yea, we got rid of some over-bearing stuffy types although it really wasn't that much of an effort.

The police moved in but failed to clear them.. Will they try again tonight?

Thailand has been trying to break through the political impasse with the help of a judiciary that has demonstrated remarkable integrity and independence.

Something as or more important to democracy than the blind adherence to the will of a majority vote.

I've been living through this "take to the streets" and "power to the people" cr*p ever since the Hippie Sixties.

What they all have in common is a desire to make the government do what THEY would like, not what the recent elections dictated.

Take Chamlong, one of the leaders of the demonstrations. Is he politically coherent, or is he just saying, "Do as I like?"

Start down that path, and democracy is in peril.

Yea, we got rid of some over-bearing stuffy types although it really wasn't that much of an effort.I think you mean "not really worth the effort"
Start down that path, and democracy is in peril.Indeed - one has only to look at the recent history of the Philippines to see how democracy is imperiled by street demonstrations

The police moved in but failed to clear them.. Will they try again tonight?Sounds like a clamp down on your Sunee Plaza Friends :cheers: :cheers:An interesting comment from one who calls himself SuneeBoi ... or do I mean boygeenyus or Singapore Sexpat or ...?

SuneeBoi ... or do I mean boygeenyus or Singapore Sexpat or ...?

Or TrongpaiExpat, or Chao Na, or ???

Would the real BG please step up?

Or TrongpaiExpat, or Chao Na, or ??? Would the real BG please step up?Oh I think you're wrong there. Our Resident Bodhisattva George pronounced ex cathedra that SuneeBoi was not Chao Na etc. Apparently he's a close personal friend of George's who had confided his posting identity. That was right before jinks decided otherwise and obliterated all mention of the poor chap - including George's papal bull(shit)