Violence for Thaksin

For news and events from Nakhon Ratchasima, the Isaan, Northeast Thailand and Southeast Asia like the neighboring countries Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma and Malaysya
Isaan Rollie
Korat-Isaan-Forum-Gast

Violence for Thaksin

Ungelesener Beitragvon Isaan Rollie » Fr Jul 25, 2008 9:48 am

PROTESTS

PAD guard killed as 700 opponents storm rally

YUTTHAPONG KAMNODNAE

UDON THANI : A PAD supporter was killed and 17 others injured yesterday when a large mob armed with knives and clubs attacked a People's Alliance for Democracy rally. The clash occurred at Nong Prachak Silapakhom public park in the municipal area, where around 150 PAD supporters were gathering.

About 700 anti-PAD demonstrators armed with machetes, axes, iron bars and wooden sticks stormed the rally site in the afternoon, attacking the PAD supporters and pulling down the stage.

The anti-PAD group was led by Uthai Saenkaew, brother of Deputy Agriculture Minister Theerachai Saenkaew, and Kwanchai Praipana. Mr Uthai allegedly urged his men to kill the PAD guards.

The attackers, in a group calling themselves Khon Rak Udon (We Love Udon), gathered at Thung Sri Muang before marching to Nong Prachak Silapakhom.

Following the attack on the PAD, they paraded around the town and walked back to Thung Sri Muang to celebrate.

The injured were sent to Udon Thani Hospital. The man who died was a PAD security guard. He had suffered an axe blow to the head, according to Veera Somkwamkid, a PAD ally.

Thaikorn Polsuwan, also a PAD ally, lashed out at police yesterday for failing to stop the Khon Rak Udon demonstrators from mounting their attack.

''Police allowed the Khon Rak Udon group in and simply watched them attack us. Khon Rak Udon also stopped ambulances from taking the injured to hospital,'' said Mr Thaikorn.

The clash took place despite extra security measures deployed by the combined 450 forces of provincial police and border patrol police volunteers.

Mr Veera said Mr Kwanchai and police must be held liable for the bloodshed.

But Pol Maj-Gen Permsak Paradasak, chief of Udon Thani police, said officers did their best to prevent violence.

Governor Supoj Laowansiri instructed police to investigate the matter and take appropriate action.

The clash came less than 24 hours after a skirmish between PAD supporters and opponents in Maha Sarakham's Muang district on Wednesday night.

The incident on Wednesday night left dozens injured, including former senator for Buri Ram Karun Saingam, who suffered a mild head injury after being hit by a missile from a slingshot.

In Buri Ram, a PAD rally was scrapped yesterday when anti-PAD demonstrators stormed the rally site and demolished the stage set up in front of a railway station in Muang district.

PAD coordinator Suriyasai Katasila demanded the government and the Interior Ministry accept responsibility for failing to stop the violence.

He had asked PAD allies nationwide to join the rally in Bangkok if they believed it was unsafe to demonstrate in their own areas.

Air force commander ACM Chalit Phukpasuk called on both sides to refrain from violence

Source: http://www.bangkokpost.com/250708_News/ ... news04.php

Korat is as hot, better stay away from rallies.

Benutzeravatar
KoratCat
Thailand-Forum-Administrator
Beiträge: 7869
Registriert: Sa Jul 22, 2006 11:00 am
Wohnort: Non Sung/Korat (Frankfurt/M)
Kontaktdaten:

Re: Udonthani: Violence for Thaksin

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » Fr Jul 25, 2008 1:06 pm

Udon Thani governor calls on villagers to reunite

(BangkokPost.com) - Udon Thani governor Supoj Laowansiri called on local villagers to reconcile after a clash took place at Nong Prachak Silapakhom public park in the municipal area, where around 150 People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) supporters were gathering.

Mr Supoj said he is concerned that there would be a revenge.

He also denied reports that there was a man killed in the clash on Thursday.

He insisted that authorities did not ignore the clash, but members of anti-PAD demonstrators were more than expected, thus went beyond the control of the authorities.


Bangkok Post July 25, 2008
Es gibt nichts Gutes, ausser man tut es! Erich Kästner, 1899 - 1974

Benutzeravatar
KoratCat
Thailand-Forum-Administrator
Beiträge: 7869
Registriert: Sa Jul 22, 2006 11:00 am
Wohnort: Non Sung/Korat (Frankfurt/M)
Kontaktdaten:

Re: Violence for Thaksin also in Korat?

Ungelesener Beitragvon KoratCat » So Jul 27, 2008 12:50 pm

Thailand: Protect Opposition Rallies From Attack

Investigate Violence by Pro-Government Groups

(New York, July 26, 2008) – Thai authorities should ensure that opposition political rallies are protected from attack by pro-government groups, Human Rights Watch said today.

Since late May 2008, pro-government groups have attacked about a dozen rallies across Thailand organized by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a coalition of groups critical of the government. On July 24, 2008, in the most serious incident to date, police stood by while pro-government thugs beat and critically injured at least 13 PAD supporters and destroyed public property at a rally in Udorn Thani province.

“Thai authorities have failed to protect their citizens’ basic right to peaceful assembly,” said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “By allowing pro-government thugs free rein to unleash violence, the authorities are putting Thailand’s fragile democracy at risk. Officials should investigate these attacks and hold to account those responsible for the violence, as well as any officials who failed to stop it.”

On July 24, Kwanchai Praipana and Uthai Saenkaew, the younger brother of Agriculture Minister Theerachai Saenkaew, led some 1,000 members of the pro-government Khon Rak Udorn Club to forcibly break up a peaceful rally of about 200 PAD supporters at Nong Prajak public park in Muang district, Udorn Thani province. Local radio station FM 97.5 reportedly urged pro-government supporters to carry out violence against the rally. Pro-government supporters were armed with swords, axes, knives, iron clubs, wooden clubs, and slingshots.

News footage and eyewitness accounts show that local authorities made no effort to stop the violence. Some 500 police and district defense volunteers at the rally did not try to perform their duties – even when thugs beat PAD supporters nearly to death right in front of them. And they made no attempt to arrest those who destroyed property at the rally.

Since May 25, tens of thousands of people have joined the PAD in rallies in Bangkok and across the country to express opposition for the administration of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. The PAD has accused the government of corruption, abuse of power, and being unpatriotic, among other criticisms. Although the PAD often uses strong language to criticize the government and has staged lengthy roadblocks in Bangkok, most of its activities have been peaceful. On June 20, PAD supporters tried to force their way through police barricades to seize the Government House where the Cabinet sits.

On at least 11 occasions in Bangkok, Udorn Thani, Sakol Nakhon, Chiang Mai, Sri Saket, Chiang Rai, Mahasarakham, and Buriram provinces, pro-government groups that are often associated with members of parliament from the ruling party have attacked PAD supporters, causing scores of injuries and damaging public property. In one instance, at a PAD rally in Mahasarakham province on July 23, former senator Karun Sai-Ngarm was on the stage when he was hit in the face with a marble from a slingshot and had to be rushed to hospital.

To date Thai authorities have failed to take action against those responsible for the attacks. In some cases, local police and provincial governors have promised to investigate the attacks and arrest those responsible but there is no evidence that this has occurred.

“The government of Prime Minister Samak should uphold the right to peaceful assembly as a basic component of democracy guaranteed in the Thai Constitution,” said Pearson.


Human Rights Watch July 26, 2008

This morning a friend reported to me on the phone that yesterday a considerable number of injured from a clash between government-supporters and PAD in Korat were taken to Maharat-Hospital.

I could not find anything on the web yet. Does anybody have any closer information?
Es gibt nichts Gutes, ausser man tut es! Erich Kästner, 1899 - 1974


Zurück zu „News: Korat, Isaan, Thailand and Southeast Asia“



Wer ist online?

Mitglieder in diesem Forum: 0 Mitglieder und 29 Gäste