NOW LIVE TV: BKK this weekend PAD action updates

[travelerjim]

Recent events this Friday evening
and Saturday morning...from BKK:

WATCH THE ACTION ON ASTV 5 ...PAD parties at BKK airport!
(select ASTV5 and click to watch on your computer
(live video with sound)
NEWS 1 TV ...

http://www.siamtv.org/start.html

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The Nation just sms a message"

"That PAD agreed to negotiate
outcome of PAD exit from Suvarnabhumi (BKK) airport.
Should be clear before noon this Saturday."

And, The Nation reported the Police Chief
has been sacked (transferred):

AIRPORT IMPASSE
Shock transfer of police chief

Phatcharawat was urgently transferred in the middle of Suvarnabhumi crisis,
renewing doubts about Army chief's future

Police Commissioner-General Pol Gen Phatcharawat Wongsuwan was Friday
removed as the national police chief and seconded to an inactive post at the PM's Office.

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

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

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

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/11 ... 089715.php (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/11/28/headlines/headlines_30089715.php)

The Nation is also reporting:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... d=30089719 (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30089719)

Heavily-armed police block main road to Bangkok airport

At 6:55 pm Friday, police equipped with SK automatic rifles were deployed
o block a main road to the Suvarnahbhumi International Airport.

Police set up a road block on the Lard Krabang- Suvarnabhumi Road and
did not allow any vehicle to pass through.

The Nation

AND:

The Nation is also reporting:


No negotiation: Sondhi declares


Sondhi Limthongkul, No-1 leader of People's Alliance for Democracy,
told protesters not to believe that the People's Alliance for Democracy
would give in and negotiate with police to move protesters out of the
Suvarnabhumi International Airport and Don Mueang Airport .

"PAD leaders will never negotiate with police," Sondhi told the crowd
at the government House.

Sondhi also warned police not to listen to orders from Interior Minister
Kowit Wattana, saying the People Power Party would be dissolved by the
Constitution Court after December 2 and the House would be dissolved
and Kowit would lose power.




More updates at:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/

and

http://www.bangkokpost.com/


You can watch Thai TV and listen to Thai radio ...
by using these Thai websites...for TV and Radio in Thailand:

http://www.siamtv.org/start.htm

http://www.siamtv.org/start.html

http://www.maxnettv.tv/index.php

http://truemusic.truelife.com/home/play ... p?guid=15# (http://truemusic.truelife.com/home/player/player_livetv.php?guid=15#)

See the live video of PAD partying at BKK airports:

ASTV5 News1 and TOC ..click on the station logo and watch the action!

Channel 3 - 5 - NBT and more...





-----------------------------

Who do you believe? Sondhi or The Nation's reporting ???

Confusion and high stakes poker appears to be at play tonight in BKK.

tj

[fedssocr]

I can't believe it took them until now to cut off the supply routes and the way for more protesters to get to the airport. Sondhi seems to go wherever he wants.

I wonder who the "important person" was who called him and told him to stop the airport siege...my guess is Prem. It's hard to believe he would be able to get away with defying HMK, so it must have been some one not as important as him.

I can't believe they haven't cut off the supply routes, the water & the electricity.

Then if they don't move out, send in the troops in night vision gear at 3:30 am.

At least they don't have to round them up, they're all in one place, outside Bangkok, surrounded by mostly fields. I wouldn't think an airport would make a very strategic place to front their 'Final Battle', except to cause the obvious disruption.

This might be more like picking off fish in a barrel. Really, where are they going to retreat to when the tear gas and bullets start flying?

I hope this doesn't get ugly, but it also doesn't look like PAD is going to back down. They seem hellbent on getting their way or a fight to the death.

OK. It's gone too long. I'm officially backing down on this one.

Occupying the Gov't House is novel way to stop a dodgy gov't from amending a constitution in the manner proposed but taking an airport HOSTAGE is not fair to people who have nothing to do with all of this.

The Tourists should confront the demonstrators and ask them to step aside.

I hope this doesn't get ugly, but it also doesn't look like PAD is going to back down.

Well I just delayed this week's departure for two weeks. I wanted to delay it anyway. But I REALLY do hope to get back by New Years Day.

Phone numbers everywhere were out of date but it didn't take long to answer and they made a deal on the penalty!

[cottmann]

My betting is that the occupation will be over by (or soon after) December 5th - the King's Birthday - so as not to embarrass him.

[fedssocr]

Doesn't Sondhi keep saying they're doing this for the king?

Now we see the cowardly police backing away and letting the PAD reinforcements go to the airport. Now they are holed up inside the terminal. It will be harder to dislodge them without significant damage now.

I have had a fantasy as well of the 100,000 stranded tourists marching on the airport and forcing the PAD out. If the "authorities" don't have the stones maybe we will have to do it ourselves.

Now the coward Sondhi is hiding behind small children and old ladies while he blusters about daring the police to come and get them. They should have kept him in jail when they locked him up before.

How could Thailand be more embarassed???? The whole world is caught somewhere between laughing at a country where the the police and army ignore the rightful orders of the legal government and horrorfied at the prospect of Thailand becoming a totally disfunctional failed state.

How could Thailand be more embarassed???? The whole world is caught somewhere between laughing at a country where the the police and army ignore the rightful orders of the legal government and horrorfied at the prospect of Thailand becoming a totally disfunctional failed state.I think all of us would prefer that Thailand be a totally functional failed state, wouldn't we?

I am not sure how much the decision making process by the NCCC ( or whatever it is called) on Tuesday either for or against the banning of the PPP has to PAD holding out until then!
Then if it goes against the PPP the PAD, short term, will have gained what they want!

How could Thailand be more embarassed???? The whole world is caught somewhere between laughing at a country where the the police and army ignore the rightful orders of the legal government and horrorfied at the prospect of Thailand becoming a totally disfunctional failed state.I think all of us would prefer that Thailand be a totally functional failed state, wouldn't we?

Would that be just sufficiently failed to give a good baht exchange rate & sufficiently functional for a good holiday?

[travelerjim]

Here is ASTV 's link:

(the station is OWNED by Sondhi - one of the PAD leaders)

http://tv-online-channels.com/online-tv ... 845.htmlll (http://tv-online-channels.com/online-tv/Thailand-tv-channels/ASTV-News1_1845.htmlll)

And...TOC...
Thailand's all English channel (also owned by Sondhi)

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/
_________________
TravelerJim

[blazer]

Well, the police have left, even as far away as a mile from the airport. Completely spineless government, it appears. I just hope no passengers are left waiting at the airport and have gone to hotels or elsewhere. The situation could escalate.




Associated Press
Saturday, November 29
foxnews.com


BANGKOK, Thailand тАФ Riot police fled a checkpoint near Bangkok's international airport Saturday after coming under attack by several hundred anti-government protesters who have been occupying the main terminal.

About 150 police at the checkpoint jumped into their vehicles and sped off when they saw a convoy of protesters тАФ many armed with metal rods and some carrying guns тАФ speeding toward them. Video footage of the attack appeared to show a protester firing a handgun toward a police van filled with officers. It was not immediately clear if there were any injuries.

The attack effectively broke a massive police cordon that officials had formed earlier in the day around the protesters occupying Thailand's main airport, raising fears of an imminent confrontation in a standoff that has disrupted the country's economy and the travel industry worldwide.

About 2,000 police were deployed around Suvarnabhumi international airport, where protesters calling themselves the People's Alliance for Democracy have camped out since late Tuesday, forcing the halt of all flights.

The checkpoint was about a mile from the airport.

About 400 protesters in a long convoy sped toward the police, hitting their vehicles and smashing windshields as they drove off and throwing what appeared to be firecrackers at the police.

After the police fled, the protesters picked up some of the riot shields they left behind and occupied the checkpoint, where police had been stopping vehicles headed into the airport to search for weapons.

The protesters also have occupied Bangkok's domestic airport and the prime minister's office compound, virtually paralyzing the government in their campaign to force its resignation.

The confrontation, severing the capital from civilian air traffic, has taken a heavy toll on Thailand's economy and reputation. According to Thai media reports some 100,000 tourists are stranded, and schedules of airlines around the world have been disrupted.

So far security forces have only issued a warning to the protesters to leave and have refrained from using force. The protesters say they will not leave until the government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat resigns.

foxnews.com

[travelerjim]

Chamlong vows airport occupation to continue

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakin ... d=30089780 (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30089780)

Chamlong Srimuang, a co-leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, announced Sunday morning that the PAD would not pull out from the two Bangkok airports.

He told the crowd at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport that the people would get a victor on December 2.

and bombings in the city:

The Nation

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/11 ... 089774.php (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/11/30/politics/politics_30089774.php)

4 in serious condition, 3 more explosions heard at ASTV station and Don Mueang Airport

A grenade was launched into the Government House compound minutes late Saturday night, injuring 45 people.

The explosion occurred at 11:50 pm Saturday when the protesters were preparing to rest and leaders of the People's Alliance for the Democracy were about to stop the activities on the stage.

The bomb fell on the roof of a tent on the left side of the stage and fell onto the ground and exploded.

Two injured protesters were rushed to Vajira Hospital and 43 others to Ramathibody Hospital.

The bomb, believed by the PAD to be an M79 grenade, exploded just 200 metres away from the PAD's main stage inside the Government House. It was fired outside the rally ground from a similar direction of the recent attack at the site.



Tension may worsen with pro-govt rally
By The Nation on Sunday
Published on November 30, 2008


PAD may try to seize seaports if airports takeover fails to force PM out of office

The political situation could become more tense today when government supporters stage a mammoth rally in Bangkok as the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy protesters continue to hold hostage the city's two airports.

The pro-government Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship said yesterday that it would hold a massive rally at the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's Lan Kon Muang ground this afternoon with as many as 100,000 people expected to take part. The rally venue was scheduled for Sanam Luang but changed later.

Police yesterday increased their presence near Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, which were seized last week by PAD protesters, but made no attempt to disperse them.

Meanwhile the PAD yesterday mobilised more supporters from the provinces to join its rally in Bangkok.

The PAD may also try to seize seaports on the Eastern Seaboard if the takeover of the airports fails to force the premier out of office, Suthi Atchasai, a PAD leader from the East, told protesters at Suvarnabhumi yesterday.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/11 ... 089772.php (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/11/30/politics/politics_30089772.php)

[jimnbkk]

From the Nation this morning: Can you believe that the government has to ask permission from unlawful rioters? Another sign that this country has no functional government at this time.
__________________________________________________ _____
The Nation:
Serirat Prasutanond, president of Airports of Thailand Plc, said Sunday that he will seek permission from the People's Alliance for Democracy again Sunday to retrieve 88 commercial planes left unattended at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

Serirat said he had tried several times earlier but failed to convince PAD leaders at the airport to allow airlines' officials to fly the empty planes from the airport.

He said airlines, which own the planes, need them to fly their passengers left stranded in several provinces around the country.

"We need to take the planes out of the airport as soon as possible for fear that the planes will be damaged," Serirat said.

The Nation