Thailand announces state of emergency in capital

Yahoo/AP ^

[nuconvert]

BANGKOK – Thailand's prime minister narrowly escaped a savage attack and rioting erupted in Bangkok as protesters commandeered public buses and swarmed triumphantly over military vehicles in unchecked defiance after the government declared a state of emergency.

Bands of red-shirted anti-government protesters roamed areas of the Thai capital, with some smashing a car carrying Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and others beating up motorists who hurled insults at them.

At least 10 intersections were occupied by the protesters, who used buses to barricade several major roads, spawning massive traffic jams.

[normanpubbie]

Your point is well-taken. One has to walk on eggshells when discussing the Thai royal family as Thailand has perhaps the most severe lese majeste laws in the world. Just last week Suwicha, a Thai, was sentenced to 10 years in jail for photoshopping pictures of the King and posting them on Youtube three years ago. Note that in the past, the King has pardoned those convicted of lese majeste a few months after their convictions.

My choice to be Bhumibol's successor would be his daughter Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. When natural disaster or terrorist activity has struck, she has typically traveled to the area to hand out relief supplies and to give the locals moral support. She seems to be a good-hearted person. Of course, I have no say in the selection of the next monarch.

The key to understanding what will happen in the future is knowing what happened in the past. In 2008, PAD seized and held the Government House compound for about a month. During the street demonstrations, one PAD protester died when a tear gas canister hit her and exploded. Since then, there have been calls for criminal investigations and prosecutions of the police handling of the riot back then. Although charges were filed against the protest leaders for the government compound seizure, they were immediately released and the charges were apparently dropped. Emboldened, PAD then took over the airports. One of the Thai courts recently decided that since the yellow shirts had relinquished both airport, they would not be tried for their actions since, after all, they were no longer in possession of the airports. One sometimes has to suspend reality to understand the actions of the Thai courts.

Treatment of the red shirts has been much more severe. This past Wednesday the red shirts besieged the Asean summit being held this week and entered the property where it was held. The Thai PM wisely called the summit off. There are no reports that the summit participants were harmed or threatened in any way. The police seized the leader of the siege and he is apparently still in custody. It's this disparity of treatment by the government between the red shirts and the yellow shirts that will exacerbate the situation. Thais tend to be fair-minded people with a cultural prohibition against political violence.

The latest reports indicate that riot police have engaged the red shirts with shields and that a number of red shirts were taken away on stretchers.

If there are multiple deaths among the red shirts, the situation is very likely to spiral out of control.

Here's how I think this situation will end. Thaksin Shinawatra will be returned to his elective office. If an honest election is later held, he would win it. I figure that Prem Tinsulanonda and the members of the Council of National Security that ran the junta will be retired and stripped of all power.

[killjoy]

After the 2006 coup, the government should have shut up about Thaksin. He would have dissapeared into insignificance. Instead, they used Thaksin as the reason they were unable to run the country. The ball was in their court and they had no idea what to do with it. Instead of trying to lead, they just kept attacking and attacking. The government made Thaksin into this bizarro superman.

The Police/Army had a hands off approach after the Oct 7th violence. The Police were abandoned after the violence that occurred by everyone in a position of power. This included being condemned by the Queen by her appearing at the funeral of the girl killed when a tear gas canister exploded. If you were a member of the RTP, why would you put your life on the line when the only possible outcome is condemnation? That situation was never resolved and I am sure it is what is causing a similar lack of the use of force now.

I don't know what the end game is going to be, but as long as there is a difference in the treatment between PAD/UDD, this is going to continue. At the risk of using the old cliche, without justice, there will not be peace. Sending the military after the reds/UDD while letting the yellows/PAD have a free ride is just going to cause the situation to get worse.

If I was PM Abhisit, I would wash my hands of it. I would go on TV, resign my position and return to the private sector. Let whoever wants the job have it.

[JimSEA]

Thaksin for sure or Samak arguably. Obama and Huey Long are among many democratically elected American politicians. One of the many weaknesses of democracy is that the people can vote to do away with democracy.

[killjoy]

Thaksin for sure or Samak arguably. One of the many weaknesses of democracy is that the people can vote to do away with democracy.

Except in Thailand, a coup was used to do away with democracy and the violence today in BKK is directly because of it.

[woofie]

My daughter (age 15) is supposed to do some volunteer work in Thailand this summer ..Any one care to comment on how safe it is and will be?

[JimSEA]

a coup was used to do away with democracy

Or had Thaksin and TRT already killed democracy with a one party system?? In any case, I am not defending the coup but don't want Thaksin's revenge to destroy the country.

[killjoy]

Or had Thaksin and TRT already killed democracy with a one party system?? In any case, I am not defending the coup but don't want Thaksin's revenge to destroy the country.

The government has made Thaksin into some kind of superman. The non-TRT government has been completely impotent and unable to rule without mentioning Thaksin on a daily basis to prop up their own failures. If Thaksin was/is so powerful, bring him back. At least when he was PM you didn't have people taking over airports and the senseless BS you are seeing now.

[killjoy]

My daughter (age 15) is supposed to do some volunteer work in Thailand this summer ..Any one care to comment on how safe it is and will be?

As safe as anywhere else. Don't worry about it. Let her come over and have the time of her life. I wish I had the same opportunity when I was 15.

[jedi150]

My daughter (age 15) is supposed to do some volunteer work in Thailand this summer ..Any one care to comment on how safe it is and will be?

By all means, will be the experience of a lifetime. 99% of the country is safe with only a few hot spots this week! Just came back home from downtown Phits. and enjoyed the Chaos of Song Kran! Amazing place.

[JimSEA]

Just talked to our relations in Changwat Phrae. They say the Red Shirts have blocked to road to Lamphang and taken over city offices in both cities as well as Lamphun and Chiang Mai. Sound as though the Red Shirts will win. What sort of a wealth redistribution is coming??

[woofie]

Thanks a bunch for the feedback

[Hawthorn]

>> Thais tend to be fair-minded people with a cultural prohibition against political violence. <<

Maybe. But let's not forget the Malay word “amok” — as in “run amok.” I fear that the Thais may have just enough Malay DNA that their decades (and even centuries) of socio-political restraint could be interrupted by a brief but shockingly bloody orgy of violence.

>> My choice to be Bhumibol’s successor would be his daughter Maha Chakri Sirindhorn <<

Agreed. But by my understanding, she's said time and again that she doesn't want the job. In any case, I'm not sure if the Thai constitution would allow anybody other than the eldest male heir to take the Crown. Do you know?

>> One sometimes has to suspend reality to understand the actions of the Thai courts. <<

I'd say it's not so hard to understand the actions of the courts, if one assumes that Prem has been whispering into the judicial ears.

[killjoy]

What sort of a wealth redistribution is coming??

Don't think any. They are not communists.

[JimSEA]

They are not communists

The targets for the anger of the Red Shirts are the "wealthy elite". A certain proportion of this group are in fact the ethnic Chinese and obnoxious rich Thai that disdain the poor and flash their Rolex's. Everyone has seen and been disgusted by them and their very "unBuddhist" ways. However the far larger target group are the educated middle class and talented entrepreneurs who have raised the country from the agricultural third world. TRT went after foreigners, the red shirts are class warriors. It seems a lot like Obama to me. Then there is Thaksin's Saturday night promise to return and lead a "Long March" to Bangkok.

Not Communist but willing to use any means to return to power.

[killjoy]

The targets for the anger of the Red Shirts are the "wealthy elite".

Well, when the 'wealthy elite' take over the country with the stated goal of turning it into an oligarchy, I can see where the hostility comes from. The PAD/Democrats holding a political position that the poor majority of the country are too ignorant to vote is going to cause resentment.

[normanpubbie]

Here's a link to the 2007 Thai Constitution presently in force:
http://www.asianlii.org/th/legis/const/2007/1.html#C02
The Palace Law on Succession was put into place in the early 20th century. It is the Kings's prerogative to change it unilaterally.

Thai Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, King Bhumibol's son, is the heir apparent. However, I do not believe that the King has designated him as his successor.

Chapter II, Section 23 of the 2007 Constitution provides in part that if the throne becomes vacant and the King has not appointed a successor,

For this purpose, the name of a Princess may be submitted.

So, yes Princess Sirindhorn could become monarch if the King fails to appoint his son as successor before death.

[jedi150]

It was looked into some years ago and rejected.