Ex-Thai PM calls for revolt

[The Minx]

Link

BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- Riot police descended on scores of anti-government protesters in the streets of Thailand's capital and violence intensified early Monday.

"Where I am, the protesters have lit several fires in the street and they've blocked a lot of traffic," CNN Correspondent Dan Rivers reported from a busy Bangkok intersection. He said protesters had slashed the tires of a police van.

Video from the scene showed shield-wielding riot police clashing with protesters, and at times people were carried away on stretchers. There were no immediate figures on deaths or injuries.

"What they're trying to do is face down the government, which so far has appeared -- it must be said -- very weak and unwilling to order the police or the army to use much force," Rivers said. "That was, until a few hours ago where .. they have started to crack down on this movement."

Earlier, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced a state of emergency Sunday in the capital and surrounding areas in an attempt to tamp down days of heightening protests.

Thousands of "red shirt" protesters have rallied for days to demand Abhisit's resignation. The red shirts have given the prime minister repeated deadlines to resign, but those have come and gone.

The protesters are loyal to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup. They have said Abhisit's government was not democratically elected and want him to resign and schedule elections.

Abhisit, who has held the position for four months, has rejected calls to step down.

Meanwhile, Thaksin, in a video-link speech from an unknown location, urged his supporters to revolt, according to a report from military-run network MCOT, a CNN affiliate.

Thaksin said he would return to Thailand to lead people in a march on the capital if necessary, according to the report.

Immediately after Abhisit's state-of-emergency declaration, dozens of protesters stormed the country's Interior Ministry and pelted Abhisit's car with rocks, chairs, flags and sticks as he escaped.

Protesters climbed atop two military armored cars after laying down on the road and blocking its path. A police officer was led away by demonstrators and beaten, said Sathit Wongnongtoey, an official in the prime minister's office.

The emergency measure will allow officials to arrest and detain protesters without a court order, and to restrict gatherings, authorities said.

Also Sunday, police arrested a leader of the red shirt movement -- named for the color of their demonstrators' attire. The leader, Arismun Pongruengrong, was charged with inciting people to break the law, police said.

Arismun led demonstrators who forced their way into a hotel Saturday where Asian leaders were to meet. The action prompted the indefinite postponement of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in the southern coastal city of Pattaya.

Interesting times in Thailand. :/

[frigidmagi]

To be fair Thaksin was deeply unpopular and there was alot of popular action against him. Which is what led to the damn coup in the first place.

[General Havoc]

Thaksin was deeply unpopular among certain circles. Polls confirmed that on a national scale, Thaksin retained the support of much of the country, particularly the rural population and poor classes. But the upper middle class, the military, and perhaps most crucially the royal family of Thailand all opposed his policies, which, along with corruption allegations, was what led to the coup.

The protesters in this case have a reasonable point to make. When the anti-Thaksin protesters were running amok, shutting the airports down and taking parliamentarians hostage, the Thai courts refused to intervene in the slightest. Now that an anti-Thaksin government is in place, suddenly the other side's protesters are threats to public order and states of emergency are declared.

[The Minx]

The situation is deteriorating, now troops have fired on the protesters, who in response run amok.

EDIT: link

BANGKOK, Thailand (CNN) -- Thai troops opened fire as they advanced on anti-government protesters Monday amid escalating violence on the streets of Bangkok that has left at least 70 people injured and transformed parts of the tourist hotspot into a battle zone.

It was not immediately known whether the troops fired rubber bullets or live gunshots in the latest development in days of unrest triggered by demands for Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to step down.

Demonstrators commandeered at least two buses, rigged the steering wheels and sent them toward police officers -- who fired at the vehicles in response. Other buses were seen burning.

The protesters are loyal to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup. The government has blamed him for fomenting the latest clashes.

Thaksin, who fled Thailand last year while facing trial on corruption charges, told CNN Monday he is willing to return home but did not say when.

"Well, you know I am ready to go when the time is right," he said, speaking from an undisclosed location.

"But now, I like to see peaceful protests by the demonstrators. Actually, you know, they are all innocent people. They come with bare hand; they are asking for true democracy and justice. But they got back undemocratic ways with a lot of brutal suppression."

Earlier in the day, protesters hurled gasoline bombs, blocked intersections and set fires in many parts of Thailand's capital. Scores of riot police descended on the streets. The prime minister said 23 soldiers and 47 protesters were wounded.

"The first objective is to clear up the traffic blocks around the city," said Panitan Wattanayagorn, a Thai government spokesman. "The second is to return the government offices and compound back to the officers. Lastly, reduce the threat to the prime minister and his Cabinet ministers."

The Thai New Year, or Songkran, began Monday and is traditionally a multi-day celebration in the country. People roam the streets, drenching one another and passersby with water guns or containers of water.

This year, however, thousands of "red shirt" protesters -- named after their clothing -- have rallied for days, saying Abhisit's 4-month-old government is not democratically elected and that he should call new elections.

The demonstrators have given the prime minister repeated deadlines to resign, but those have come and gone.

"He insists under the circumstances, where there is a lot of deep division in the society ... resigning won't solve any standing conflict," Panitan said.

On Sunday, Abhisit declared a state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding areas after the protesters forced the postponement of a summit of Asian leaders in the southern coastal city of Pattaya, embarrassing the government.

Protesters took over two gas tanker trucks Monday, slashed the tires of a police van and surrounded the prime minister's office, which seemed devoid of a security presence.

The government, which until now had appeared unable to order the army or police to use force in tamping down the protests, set up a "center" Monday with the heads of the police, army, air force and navy to coordinate a response, Panitan said.

"We're trying as best as we can to go on with our daily lives, and we are hoping that our prime minister is able to resolve everything peacefully soon," resident Supatra Jenstitwong said.

The protesters are loyal to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup. The government has blamed him for fomenting the latest clashes.

Thaksin, who fled Thailand last year while facing trial on corruption charges, said he would return home to lead the people in a march on the capital if necessary.

"Now that they have tanks on the street and the soldiers are coming out, so it is time for the people to come out for a revolution," Thaksin told supporters, speaking by video link from an unknown location.

Immediately after Abhisit's state-of-emergency declaration, dozens of protesters stormed the country's interior ministry and pelted Abhisit's car with rocks, chairs, flags and sticks as he escaped.

Protesters climbed atop two military armored cars after lying down on the road and blocking their path. A police officer was led away by demonstrators and beaten, said Sathit Wongnongtoey, an official in the prime minister's office.

"I think it is the beginning of the process we have never seen in Thailand. It's unprecedented," opposition member Jakrapob Penkair said on Monday. "I wouldn't say it is a revolution. At least it's a starting point of the people's uprising against the old power."

The emergency measure allows officials to arrest and detain protesters without a court order, and to restrict gatherings, authorities said.

Bruce Bugajski and his brother flew in for a four-day trip to Thailand on Sunday night and were driven to their hotel by a cabdriver with a red ribbon on his dashboard, signifying his support for the protesters. The normally congested highways leading into the city were deserted.

"He had a picture of the old prime minister," Bugajski said. "He said that's who he wants to get back to power down here."

Monday morning, the scene outside their hotel was calm and normal -- a contrast to the images of clashes blaring from their television screen.

"Kids were outside squirting tourists with their squirt guns, and some of the tourists were getting into it," Bugajski said. "It's quite a different picture."

[General Havoc]

This is not going to end well...

[frigidmagi]

I'm not surprised the troops opened fire considering that the protesters were flinging buses at them.