Army Representative Visits PCAD Rally After Shooting

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15 January 2014, 15:08

(15 January) The Royal Thai Army has sent a representative to inspect an anti-government rally site following a gunfire attack there last night.

The attack took place close to Chalermla Bridge at midnight last night, where many protesters were sleeping in their tents and camps near the main rally stage at Pathumwan Intersection.

The rally site is one of the 7 major intersections and roads occupied by the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) as a part of "Bangkok Shutdown" campaign.

Two individuals were reported injured by the gunfire, which erupted sporadically for an hour. Reports suggest that one of them is a garbage collector working for Bangkok city authorities, while the other person is a 55 year old woman from Surat Thani province.

The police have not arrested any suspect in connection with the attack, and details concerning the incident are not immediately clear, but witnesses in the area claim the gunfire came from the direction of the nearby Asia Hotel. Loud bangs of firecrackers were also heard during the attack.

Although PCAD protest sites have been targeted by drive-by shootings and bomb attacks in the past, the gunfire attack at Chalermla Bridge last night is widely seen as one of the most high-profile incidents so far, as it took place in the downtown heart of Bangkok, and in extreme proximity to Sra Pathum Palace, the official residence of Her Royal Highness Princess Sirindhorn.

Later this morning, Maj.Gen. Nattaphon Srisawasdi, a high-ranking officer of the Royal Thai Army, visited the protest site at Pathumwan Intersection with his entourage to inspect the scene and meet with troops stationed nearby.

Maj.Gen. Nattaphon said his visit has been directly ordered by Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army.

Gen. Prayuth has instructed the army leadership to provide security to the people in timely manner, Maj.Gen. Nattaphon told reporters, but added that the army has been also ordered to maintain its distance from the ongoing "conflict".

Maj.Gen. Nattaphon later met with soldiers and other security forces inside Sra Pathum Palace to discuss the attack last night. The officials reportedly told Maj.Gen. Nattaphon that the security inside the palace has not been affected in any way by the incident.

Commander of the royal bodyguards at the palace, Maj.Gen. Warah Boonyasith, also told reporters that Gen. Prayuth has explicitly ordered the army to help the people of all sides and to prevent violent incidents.

To improve the security in the area around Pathumwan Intersection, Maj.Gen. Warah said the army will deploy response units in 10 spots in the vicinity.

"Gen. Prayuth has ordered us to pay attention to the area surrounding Huan Chang Bridge," Maj.Gen. Warah said, using the common name of Chalermla Bridge, "As it is very close to Sra Prathum Palace. He also asked us to reach understanding with the protesters that they must make way for royal convoy. The protesters understood that".

Redshirts activists have accused the Royal Thai Army of giving tacit support PCAD protests, but the army has repeatedly denied the allegation.

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Abhisit's House Attacked By Grenade, Suspects Arrested

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15 January 2014, 14:29

(15 January) Police have arrested suspects thought to be involved in the grenade attack on the residence of former Prime Minister and Democrat Party chairman Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Unidentified individuals hurled a grenade at Mr. Abhisit′s house in Bangkok′s Bangna district last night, causing some damage, but no injury has been reported.

The attack came amid the increasingly tense political fight which pitted the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the protesters led by People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD), which is supported by the Democrat Party.

Headquarters of the Democrat Party in Bangkok was also attacked with gunfire by unidentified assailants earlier this week.

Additionally, PCAD protesters near Pathumwan Intersection rally site also came under gunfire attack last night. Two people are reported injured; it is not clear who shot at the protesters.

Following the incident at Mr. Abhisit′s house, police in Bangna police have arrested 4 individuals on suspicion of orchestrating the attack. They were identified as Mr. Anusorn Pinitkhun, 45; Mr. Suna Thinkaew, 53; Ms. Khamprai Saengsawaeng, 45; and Ms. Chanapha Denmart.

Police also reportedly confiscated a number of weaponry carried by the suspects, such as handguns, explosive devices, and a number of ammunition.

Pol.Col. Thawatkiat Chindakuansanong, commander of Bangna Police Station, said initial interrogation suggested that the suspects were not involved in the grenade attack on Mr. Abhisit′s residence.

Nevertheless, he said, the 4 individuals would undergo further investigation.

Later in the day Mr. Abhisit called the attack on his residence and other violent incidents in recent days a political "intimidation". He noted that all targets of these attacks are anti-government figures.

"I don′t know if these events are what the US would describe as restraint," Mr. Abhisit said during an interview with Democrat-allied Blue Sky channel, referring to the statement released by US Department of State which praised the Thai authorities for handling the anti-government protests with restraint.

The Democrat Party chairman claimed that these violent incidents would further erode the legitimacy of Ms. Yingluck′s government, and insisted that the "Great Mass of the People" would not be deterred by these threats.

"It will only escalate the situation," Mr. Abhisit told a Blue Sky reporter. He also criticised the police for failing to locate individuals who engineered violence against anti-government targets.

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Detectives Beaten By PCAD Protesters, Police Say

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15 January 2014, 13:26

(15 January) 4 police officers have been hospitalised after they were beaten by anti-government protesters, according to a police statement.

Spokesperson office of the Royal Thai Police said the 4 officers were detectives operating under the Special Branch Police.

According to the statement, at around 23.00 last night the officers were gathering intelligence near Lumpini Park where supporters of the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) were holding a rally.

Suddenly, the police claimed, a group of protester guards attacked the detectives. They were later sent to hospital.

3 of the officers suffered from bruises, while the other officer lost 3 teeth and had small wounds on his face, the police said.

Their conditions have been described as stable.

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Chiang Mai Activists Hold Anti-Coup Vigil

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14 January 2014, 19:16

(14 January) A group of Chiang Mai University academics and students has held a candlelit vigil to oppose any possible military coup.

Thailand is once again gripped by rumours that the army might stage a coup to oust the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, amid the ongoing mass protests against her.

Over 100 people joined the vigil, which was held this evening in front of Kawila army barrack in Chiang Mai′s Mueang district. Some activists placed candles around the barrack′s entrance, while others held up placards expressing support for non-violence and democracy.

The students and academics also staged a brief sit-in to voice their opposition to "civil war" and military coup.

Although the army did not send any representative to meet with the group, some soldiers could be seen treating the protesters with friendly gestures throughout the vigil.

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Shinawatra Building, Govt Offices Targeted By PCAD

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14 January 2014, 16:32

(14 January) Anti-government protesters have moved out of their position to besiege key buildings across Bangkok on the second day of their "shutdown" operation.

The People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) has threatened to prolong their occupation of major intersections, roads, and landmarks in Bangkok until the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra resigns.

Apart from staging rallies at 7 main locations, PCAD supporters have also been fanning out to other areas to step up their pressure against the government.

Earlier this morning, Buddhist monk Luang Phu Buddha Issara led a PCAD convoy to stage a rally in front of the Ministry of Commerce. The monk explained to the crowd that the rally was meant to criticise the government′s rice-mortgage scheme which, he said, severely affected the price of crops and damaged the national budget.

After spending 2 hours at the Ministry of Commerce, Luang Phu Buddha Issara led the crowd to besiege the Department of International Trade Promotion, accusing the Department officials of giving shelter to key members of the government.

The rally in front of the Department took a tense turn afterwards, when a group of protesters attempted to break through the compound′s front gate, causing the monk to call for calm. An official later emerged from the Department offices and negotiated with Luang Phu Buddha Issara.

The official later told the crowd that the Department of International Trade Promotion did indeed host a group of officials from the Office of Prime Minister for an "urgent meeting", but the group had already left the building before the protesters arrived.

He also asked the protesters not to storm the Department, since its work is crucial to Thailand′s export economy. Satisfied with this explanation, PCAD protesters marched back to their position near Government Complex on Chaeng Wattana Road.

Another brief excitement occurred in the afternoon when a convoy of military hardware passed near the protesters′ rally site on Chaeng Wattana Road, but army officers reassured the crowd via loudspeakers that the weaponry was being transported to a barrack in Bangkok for future parade show.

PCAD protesters also staged rallies in front of Customs Department, Department of Public Works and City Planning, Department of Land Transport, Ministry of Labour, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the bid to convince the civil servants not to support the government.

The protesters′ targets are not restricted to governmental buildings; earlier this afternoon a group of PCAD supporters left their rally site at Ladprao Intersection and rallied in front of Shinawatra Tower II building, which houses a number of businesses related to the Shinawatra clan.

An employee inside Shinawatra building said all offices have been closed and office workers evacuated from the building "for safety reasons".

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Suthep Advises Cabinet Members To Evacuate Families

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14 January 2014, 15:05

Anti-government protesters at Asoke intersection, 14 January 2014

(14 January) PCAD leader Suthep Thaugsuban has suggested that key members of the government evacuate their families "in case of an emergency".

The Secretary General of the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) made the remark on the rally stage at Bangkok′s Asoke Intersection this afternoon, where he also thanked the protesters for their support of his campaign to unseat Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

It is the second day of Mr. Suthep′s "Bangkok shutdown" operation, in which he vowed to occupy many major intersections, landmarks, and roads in Bangkok until the caretaker government resigns and scraps the 2 February general election.

At the Asoke rally stage, Mr. Suthep stressed that his ultimate goal is to replace the current government with an unelected ′People′s Council′ which would implement "reforms" of Thai political system, and dismissed the report that the government might postpone the election to 4 May.

"We won′t accept it," Mr. Suthep told the crowd, "The election′s postponement, no matter how many months, would be meaningless in the eyes of the people. The people have thought ahead toward Thailand′s reform, and the reform required that Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra steps down first"

After Ms. Yingluck and her entire Cabinet resign, Mr. Suthep said, "political vacuum" and the PCAD will establish the People′s Council, which will implement the "reforms" before any election is held.

Mr. Suthep also mocked Ms. Yingluck′s remark that she has retreated in every possible way, "Let me tell her, it is not our duty to build Ms. Yingluck a ladder so she can step down. How she will step down must be decided on her own. What is clear is that she must step down. She cannot stay."

In the next 2-3 days, Mr. Suthep announced, the PCAD will escalate the campaign to drive her out of office by detaining the Prime Minister and every Cabinet member, while the protesters will march to besiege the residences of Ms. Yingluck and her Cabinet.

Electricity and water to these residences would be cut by the protesters, Mr. Suthep warned.

He added, "The game must end. Therefore, [I suggest] that each Minister sends their children and wives to somewhere else, so they can escape in the case of emergency,"

The PCAD secretary general also named a number of officials he described as core supporters of Ms. Yingluck, such as Minister of Foreign Affairs Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Minister of Labour Chalerm Yoobamrung, and Deputy Prime Minister Plodprasop Suraswadee.

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New Venues For Passport Service Appointed

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14 January 2014, 13:59

Anti-government protesters building sandbag barricade on Chaeng Wattana Road, 13 January 2014

(14 January) The Department of Consular Affairs at Chaeng Wattana Road has closed down due to anti-government protests in the area.

The announcement came a day after supporters of the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) have occupied the road in front of the Government Complex, where the Department is located.

Mr. Sek Wannamathee, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the closure would be "temporary". He added that passport registration can be obtained at the Department′s district offices in Bangna and Pinklao in the meantime.

However, he said, due to the closure of the Department′s headquarters on Chaeng Wattana Road, only 2,500 new passports can be issued per day "until normalcy returns".

Furthermore, Mr. Sek added, passport registration offices in provinces outside Bangkok would be closed down, since these provincial offices would not be able to connect with the database stored at Chaeng Wattana headquarters.

Citizens wishing to obtain new passports who have no urgent needs are asked to wait and let the Department process the more urgent cases, Mr. Sek said.

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is evaluating the situation everyday to decide when the Department of Consular Affairs can be re-opened," the spokesman said.

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PCAD Blames Signal Failure On Govt

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14 January 2014, 13:26

Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban addressing the protesters at Pathumwan Intersection, 14 January 2014

(14 January) A leader of anti-government protesters has blamed errors during the live broadcast of their rally yesterday on the government.

The incident occurred when Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban, secretary-general of the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD), took to the rally stage on Pathumwan Intersection at around 19.30 yesterday and attempt to address the protesters who were occupying the intersection.

However, his voice could not be heard at the stage. Mr. Suthep′s voice was also missing on the live broadcast of the rally transmitted by Blue Sky TV, a satellite channel allied to PCAD and the Democrat Party.

PCAD leaders at another rally stage near Lumpini Park who were broadcasting the live feed of Mr. Suthep′s speech similarly faced the audio problem regularly, causing the crowd to boo and blow their whistles in anger.

Eventually, Mr. Chinnaworn Boonyakiat, a leader of PCAD at the stage, decided to address the crowd himself instead of continuing to broadcast Mr. Suthep′s speech. He claimed that the government has jammed the protesters′ electronic devices with a malicious signal.

"Tyrannical governments act this way," Mr. Chinnaworn said.

Mr. Suthep would personally tour every stage and give a speech at each rally stage if the government continues to bully the PCAD in this manner, he added.

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Democrats To Evict Bad Spirit After Shooting

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14 January 2014, 11:45

Democrat chairman Abhisit Vejjajiva at the evil-eviction ceremony, 14 January 2014

(14 January) The Democrat Party has conducted a ceremony to expel evil spirits after the party's office in Bangkok was sprayed with gunfire.

Yesterday morning unidentified gunmen drove a grey Toyota Camry to the office in Phayathai district and discharged their firearms at a coffee shop, called A Big Seat, which is located inside the office′s compound. No injuries was reported.

While Democrat chairman Abhisit Vejjajiva blamed the attack on political intimidation, Mr. Juti Krairuek, Secretary General of the Democrat Party, suggested that the incident could have dire supernatural effects on the party as well.

To remedy this, he said, the party has invited 9 monks for a merit making ceremony today in front of the statue of Mother Earth Squeezing Her Hair, the symbol of the Democrat Party.

“This would bring us some goodness to fight against the evil we have attracted," Mr. Juti said, "So hopefully we do not have to meet in the next lifetime”.

The event was attended by numbers of the party′s bigwigs, including former executives, former MPs, president of party’s branches and several party members. Mr. Abhisit also attended the ceremony.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sutham Rahong, Director-General of the Democrat Party, stated that they had strengthened their security policy inside the office’s area, as well as asking for supports from Phayathai and Bang Sue police to maintain the safety around the perimeter.

He also suggested that more lighting equipment is needed around the party′s office.

Mr. Sutham also stated that the party had obtained some "good evidence" regarding the shooting incident on CCTV camera.

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Pro-Election Rallies Organised In 16 Provinces

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13 January 2014, 17:41

(13 January) Local Redshirts and other citizen groups in upcountry provinces have staged rallies and demonstrations to oppose the "shutdown" of Bangkok by anti-government protesters.

The demonstrators also expressed their support for the 2 February election, which anti-government protesters led by the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) is calling to be scrapped.

Instead of an election, PCAD has demanded that an unelected ′People′s Council′ be installed to implement series of "reforms" deemed necessary by PCAD leadership. In the bid to pressure the government to bow down to this demand, PCAD supporters have occupied many roads and intersections in Bangkok today.

But PCAD′s move to "shutdown" Bangkok and its demand for ′People′s Council′ has angered many Redshirts and citizens who wish to see the election on 2 February, and they have staged their own counter-protests across 16 provinces to express their stances.

In Chiang Rai province, over 3,000 demonstrators marched from Chiang Rai City Hall to Pho Khun Meng Rai Statue to protest against violence and PCAD′s occupation of Bangkok.

Around 1,000 people led by ′Northerners Love Thailand′ group later marched to the Royal Thai Army′s Camp Meng Rai Maharaja to demand a promise from the army not to stage any coup against the government. However, the military sent no representative to respond to the protesters′ demand.

Separate protests in the province were held by Chiang Rai′s local chapter of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) and ′Laotian Mothers Love Democracy′ group to protest against the PCAD and renew calls for the general election to be held as planned. The protests were joined by 300-500 people.

In the northeastern region of Nakhon Ratchasima, a group calling themselves ′People of Korat Love Democracy′ staged a rally in front of The Mall department store, which was joined by over 3,000 people from 32 districts. The group was protected by UDD guards and 30 police officers.

Some placards held by the protesters read, "Stop Coup", "Against Violence", and "Respect my rights under the Constitution, thank you for no coup".

The demonstrators later marched to Thao Sura Naree Statue, where they released over 3,000 red-white-blue balloons as a gesture for peace. The protest leaders also read out statements detailing their three principles: oppose all forms of coup d’état, oppose the shutdown of Bangkok, and support the 2 February election.

Meanwhile, in Pathum Thani province, just outside Bangkok′s urban perimeter, around 5,000 demonstrators marched with white balloons in support of the 2 February general election. They also expressed their support for governmental officials in the province.

Mr. Pongsathorn Sajjachonphan, the Governor of Pathum Thani province, later greeted the protesters and stated that he wished to see no violence. "Everybody wants to see a peaceful country", he told the protesters.

Pathum Thani recently saw a violent confrontation between local Redshirts group and PCAD supporters who marched in the province inviting citizens to join the shutdown of Bangkok. A number of people have been injured in the clash, and some of them had been wounded by gunshots.

Elsewhere in the country similar pro-election demonstrations were held, such as:

Kamphaeng Phet: 3,000 people have gathered in front of the City Hall to support the election. Ms. Katriya Kritattakarn, Member of the Provincial Administrative Organization (PAO), stated that she and fellow protesters are ordinary people who wish for a democratic regime under the King as Head of State.

She stated that they do not want any party or movement to derail the election, and they will not accept any representative body appointed without democratic principle. The group later marched around the provincial municipality area asmany supporters joined.

Phayao: Approximately 5,000 protesters, some of them UDD supporters, marched in support of the election. They also gave roses to the police representatives to show their solidarity and launched white balloons as gesture of non-violence.

Mr. Siriwat Jupamadtha, Phayao UDD Coordinator, said that pro-democracy Phayao locals wish to demonstrate their wish in 4 points; (1) oppose any forms of coup, (2) oppose PCAD and their preceding Yellowshirts group (3) support the police (4) support the election.

Udonthani: UDD leader Kwanchai Praipana led his supporters to ride their motorcycles around the province. Over 500 people and 1,000 motorcyclists joined the convoy.

Buriram: Pro-election rallies there were attended by 4,000-5,000 UDD supporters and other citizens.

Sri Saket: At least 7,000 Redshirts from 22 districts, led by Mr. Sawai Sodsai, showed up for their counter-protests. Local Redshirts leaders also criticised Mr. Suthep for shutting down Bangkok, and vowed that they would escalate their campaigns if the election on 2 February is scrapped.

Ratchaburi: Over 3,000 locals and UDD supporters wearing white shirts rode on motorcycle in Mueang Ratchaburi municipality to support the 2 February election and oppose any military coup.

Smaller protests, demonstrations, and other activities were similarly organised in other provinces such as Lamphun, Kalasin, Loei, Sakon Nakhon, and Uttaradit.

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