Betogingen Thailand & SITUATIE BANGKOK !!

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Bangkok post

News » Politics
PM vows no turning back, justifies losses

      **MILITARY WARNS OF CRACKDOWN AS DEATH TOLL REACHES 24**

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[li]Published: 16/05/2010 at 12:00 AM[/li][li]Newspaper section: News[/li][/ul]

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is vowing to press on with efforts to secure the capital as the army warns of a possible crackdown on protesters, after a day of urban warfare which pushed the death toll to 24 after two days of fighting.
Mr Abhisit last night declared there would be no turning back even as the government struggled to restore order and normalcy to violence-torn Bangkok.

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[li]The government must move forward. We cannot retreat because we are doing things that will benefit the entire country. - Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva[/li][/ul]
The army, meanwhile, has warned of a possible crackdown after urban warfare erupted on the southern and northern fringes of the inner-city area occupied by the red shirts.
The army moved on Thursday to seal off the area, blocking supply lines to the protest site.
Yesterday’s fighting took place as the reds attempted to reopen their supply lines.
In a national broadcast hours after a “live bullet zone” at two hot spots in Ratchaprarop and Din Daeng was declared, Mr Abhisit made his first appearance before the media in days to declare he would press on with efforts to return Bangkok streets to normalcy.
"As long as the red shirt protest continues, armed terrorists will remain and hurt people and authorities.
“Risks and violence will escalate. I insist that ending the protest is the only way to prevent losses,” he said.
Mr Abhisit said the operation by security forces to seal off the protest area was met with hostile resistance including use of heavy weapons.
"We cannot allow unlawful elements to take Bangkok hostage. We will not allow an armed group unhappy with the government to attack and hurt authorities. There is no turning back in our efforts to maintain a legal state.
“Losses will have to be endured. It is the only way to righteousness,” he said.
Mr Abhisit urged the public to avoid clash sites and cooperate with authorities.
By late last night, 24 people had been killed and 187 people injured since violence renewed on Friday night in the streets surrounding the Ratchaprasong protest site.
Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said protesters had died from four causes: red shirt guards fighting each other, attacks launched by terrorists using war weapons, other groups of people dissatisfied with the red shirts coming out to attack them, and “unintentional” killing by security officers firing at the red shirts.
“We send our regrets to the relatives of those who died or were wounded. We try to avoid violence and loss of life but it’s difficult when facing armed groups hidden among the protesters,” said Col Sansern. Senior army officers including deputy army chief of staff Lt Gen Dapong Rattanasuwan also went on television to defend the military’s actions.
They said the violence would not have occurred had armed militants not infiltrated the reds and attacked security forces.
Security forces claimed armed militants who were mingling with the protesters fired grenades at them and tried to destroy their security lines.
“Those who have no business here must leave now. We do not guarantee your safety because terrorists have infiltrated the ranks of innocent people. We have to protect ourselves,” they told protesters.
Troops fired live rounds to stop protesters advancing towards them. They claimed armed militants were behind them and using the reds as shields.
The protesters burned tyres and threw petrol bombs, rocks and hard objects at security forces.
Lt Gen Dapong said the red shirt leaders were exploiting losses from clashes as a tool to distort information and create false impressions.
“They fail to talk about protests that turn violent. They fail to talk about armed militants hiding in their ranks. The leaders cannot deny responsibility,” said Lt Gen Dapong.
They claimed the CRES was telling lies as the latest victims of violence had no weapons.
Core red leader Natthawut Saikua admitted their food supply was dwindling due to the CRES blockade.

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de redactie vrt

 [home](http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws)                  > [Buitenland](http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/buitenland)                  > **Leger stelt een ultimatum aan roodhemden**                  
                                            **Leger stelt een ultimatum aan roodhemden     **

http://www.deredactie.be/polopoly_fs/1.780786!image/1655172226.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape470/1655172226.jpg

Belga
zo 16/05/2010 - 07:28 Update: zo 16/05/2010 - 13:37 De Thaise autoriteiten hebben een ultimatum gesteld aan de opstandige roodhemden die zich verschanst hebben in het centrum van de stad. Vrouwen, kinderen en ouderen worden aangeraden het kamp te verlaten. Het dodental is intussen gestegen tot 26.

                                           **bekijk**

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[li]Geweld in Bangkok laait opnieuw op[/li][/ul]
fotogalerij

[ul]
[li] Rellen Bangkok in beeld[/li][/ul]

                                                                                                         Eerder had de regering aangekondigd dat het een uitgaansverbod zou instellen in bepaalde wijken van de hoofdstad Bangkok, waar nu al 26 doden zijn gevallen in gevechten tussen het leger en de roodhemden. Maar later werd dat plan afgeblazen. Het leger heeft wel een ultimatum gesteld aan de protesterende roodhemden. Voor maandag moeten ze weg zijn. De regering vraagt dat vrouwen, kinderen en ouderen het kamp voor morgen verlaten. Het begin van het nieuwe schooljaar is intussen met een week uitgesteld.

http://www.deredactie.be/polopoly_fs/1.780736!image/445317887.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape190/445317887.jpg

Belga
Een van de leiders van de roodhemden heeft intussen laten weten dat ze bereid zijn om te “praten” onder toezicht van de Verenigde Naties en op voorwaarde dat het leger ophoudt met te schieten naar de demonstranten.
In de gevechten tussen het leger en de protesterende roodhemden zijn nu al 26 doden gevallen. De aanhangers van oud-premier Thaksin eisen dat de huidige premier Abhisit Vejjajiva opstapt en dat er nieuwe verkiezingen komen.
Maar voorlopig lijkt niemand bereid tot enige toenadering. Volgens Abhisit is de inzet van het leger de "enige uitweg” om de orde te herstellen. “We doen dit omdat het goed is voor het land. We kunnen dit land niet in de handen van gewapende groepen laten”, aldus de Thaise premier. Het leger heeft het gebied ten noorden van het kamp waar de roodhemden zich verschanst hebben, uitgeroepen tot een schietzone.

                                                                        **Waar is de koning?**

                                                                Het dodental is intussen opgelopen tot 26 en er zouden ook al meer dan 200 gewonden gevallen zijn. Het geweld laaide donderdagavond op nadat een overgelopen generaal uit het leger, die gezien werd als adviseur van de demonstranten, in het hoofd werd geschoten. Volgens de roodhemden door een scherpschutter van het leger.

Thailand gaat door de diepste politieke crisis in jaren. Sinds het verdrijven van Thaksin in 2006 is het land gepolariseerd tussen zijn aanhangers en tegenstanders, die in het geel gekleed gaan. Geel is niet toevallig de kleur van de monarchie in Thailand. Koning Bhumibol is al sinds 1946 staatshoofd en speelt achter de schermen een belangrijke rol in de Thaise politiek. Volgens een van de leiders van de roodhemden is hij de “enige hoop” om een vreedzame oplossing te vinden voor de voortdurende confrontatie.

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Sorry voor de link maar teveel om te plakken… leesvoer van de actualiteit!

http://www.stickmanweekly.com/StickmanBangkokWeeklyColumn2010/Edgy-Bangkok.htm

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UDD calls on govt to stop using force

Published: 16/05/2010 at 07:31 PM
Online news: Breakingnews

An urgent meeting of core leaders of the United front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) has passed a resolution to call on the government to immediately stop using force against red-shirt protesters, UDD co-leader Natthawut Saikua said.

“The call is for preventing unarmed red-shirts from being killed or injured”, Mr Natthawut said in a press conference on Sunday evening.

He said the UDD also called on the United Nation Organisation to mediate peace talks between the government and the red-shits.

“If the UN steps in, UDD is ready to enter peace talk process in order to rapidly end the ongoing violent confrontation and political crisis”, he said.

But if the government uses force to crackdown on the protesters, UDD will not give in and will continue rallying.

*Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com *

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BANGKOK — The government on Sunday offered safe passage for any protesters who wished to leave a central Bangkok site where they have camped for six weeks, and a protest leader said that they would be free to leave if they felt unsafe.
[Enlarge This Image](javascript:pop_me_up2(‘http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2010/05/17/world/17thai_337-395.html’,‘17thai_337_395_html’,'width=720,height=552,scrollbars=yes,toolbars=no,resizable=yes’))
[http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2010/05/17/world/17thai_337-395/17thai_337-395-articleInline.jpg](javascript:pop_me_up2(‘http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2010/05/17/world/17thai_337-395.html’,‘17thai_337_395_html’,'width=720,height=552,scrollbars=yes,toolbars=no,resizable=yes’))
Adrees Latif/Reuters

Anti-government red shirt protesters carried a man who was injured during clashes near Bangkok’s Victory Monument on Sunday.

After three days of wild street fighting that left 29 people dead and  hundreds wounded, the leader, Nattawut Saikua, also offered to withdraw  militant fighters from the streets and negotiate if the government   called a cease-fire and withdrew its troops.

But he put forward a condition that was immediately rejected by the government, insisting that any talks be mediated by the United Nations. Protesters have warned of a wider uprising if they are attacked.
The unrest continued into the evening Sunday, with more explosions and reports of injuries, with the reported evacuation of a hotel that was vandalized and threatened by protesters, and with a new blockade by protesters using cars and trucks.
The government also extended a state of emergency to five more provinces, in addition to Bangkok and 17 provinces that were already covered.
The latest violence in Bangkok began after protest leaders rejected a government offer of an early election, which had been their initial demand. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva then withdrew the offer, halted negotiations and ordered troops to blockade the protest site in central Bangkok, but not to invade it.
Troops moved in Thursday, and militants outside the site of the protest challenged them. For three days since then, some streets in the area have been filled with the boom and rattle of fighting late into the night.
A military spokesman said the government would seek to evacuate women, children and the elderly from the protest site if they chose to leave, and Mr. Nattawut said they would be free to go if they felt unsafe.
“I’d like to tell parents who brought their children to the demonstration to leave immediately if you decide to leave,” Mr. Nattawut said. “But I will stay here.”
He added: “Don’t wait too long. Taking your children out of this area is voluntary. If you choose to stay and resist, you should take your children to a safe place.”
Another leader, Jatuporn Prompan, said that he was ready to fight to the death. Many rank-and-file protesters at the site also insisted late Sunday that they would not leave. Some gathered inside a Buddhist temple hoping for safety in case of an attack.
For six weeks, several thousand protesters, many of them poor people from rural areas, have camped on the streets in the heart of Bangkok’s commercial district. The blockade ordered by Mr. Abhisit is cutting off supplies of food, water and electricity, and the city has stopped removing garbage.
The fighting has not directly affected the protest site, but as the death toll outside rises, the mood has become somber and tense.

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Influential Political Figures Fly Overseas

Reports from the Thailand’s immigration police indicate that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s family has left the country. Thaksin’s ex-wife, Pojaman Na Pompetch, his son, Panthongtae Shinawatra, and his daughter, Pinthongta Shinawatra left Thailand on May 14th on Singapore Airlines flight SQ981 at 7 P.M. Thaksin’s youngest daughter, Paethongtarn, flew to Paris, France on Air France flight AF169 at 9 P.M. on May 14th.

Other influential political figures have also left the country. Pheu Thai Chairman General Chavalit Yongchaiyuth left on Thai Airways International flight TG612 to Khunming on the same day at 9 A.M. Former Thai Rak Thai Leader Chaturon Chaiseang reportedly left China Eastern flight MU2026 at 10 A.M. on May 15th. However, Chaturon has since come out to deny that he has left the country.

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Het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken heeft inmiddels het reisadvies naar 6 opgeschroefd: alle reizen worden ontraden.

Ik snap alleen niet of dit nu geldt voor Bangkok of heel Thailand.

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**Samengevat naar Bangkok.
**

Reisadvies

	  	 		6
	 			 				 12345**6**
	

 		**6. Alle reizen worden ontraden**

	Laatst gewijzigd op 16 mei 2010
	 			Nog steeds geldig op 16 mei 2010

In dit reisadvies zijn de rubrieken ‘Samenvatting’ en ‘Actualiteiten’ en gewijzigd.

Meer over classificatie reisadviezen Samenvatting

In verband met de onzekere en instabiele politieke situatie in Thailand en het daaruit voortvloeiend geweld worden alle reizen naar Bangkok ontraden. Reizigers naar Thailand wordt hoe dan ook aangeraden samenscholingen en demonstraties te mijden en zich goed te (laten) informeren over de actuele ontwikkelingen (zie rubriek ‘Actualiteiten’).

De situatie in Bangkok is thans zeer gespannen. Veiligheidstroepen hebben op 13 mei het gebied rondom de demonstratie van de roodhemden afgesloten. Bij gewelddadige confrontaties tussen veiligheidstroepen en betogers op 13 mei en 14 mei zijn volgens berichten 16 doden gevallen en ruim 100 personen gewond geraakt. De verwachting is dat deze confrontaties de komende dagen zullen voortduren. Gewelddadige confrontaties vinden op diverse lokaties plaats (Rama 4 Road, Sala Daeng, Lumpini park, Wireless Road en Prtunam). Reizigers die op dit moment in Bangkok zijn wordt geadviseerd het gebied (begrensd door Petchaburi Road, Wireless Road, Rama 4 en Phya Thai Road) volledig te mijden en verplaatsingen in het centrum van Bangkok zo veel mogelijk te beperken.

Reizigers en Nederlandse ingezetenen in Thailand wordt voorts aangeraden zich te registreren via de website van de Nederlandse ambassade in Bangkok www.netherlandsembassy.in.th zodat zij in geval van een noodsituatie door de ambassade (onder andere per sms) bereikt kunnen worden. Reizigers wordt tevens geadviseerd de informatie op deze website regelmatig te volgen.

Niet-essentiële reizen naar de vier zuidelijke provincies van Thailand, t.w. Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat en Songkhla, worden ontraden (zie rubriek ‘Onveilige gebieden’).
Actualiteiten
Anti-regeringsgezinde betogers, de zogenaamde roodhemden, demonstreren sinds 12 maart in Bangkok. Een groot aantal betogers verblijft thans bij de Ratchaprasong-kruising nabij de grote warenhuizen Central World and Siam Paragon.
Premier Abhisit heeft op 7 april de noodtoestand uitgeroepen voor Bangkok en delen van de omliggende provincies Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathumthani, Nakhon Pathom en Ayutthaya. Op 13 mei heeft de regering de noodtoestand uitgeroepen voor 15 andere provincies, te weten Chon Buri, Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, Udon Thani, Chaiyaphum, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Si Sa Ket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan, Lampang and Nakhon Sawan.
Op zaterdag 10 april vonden gewelddadige confrontaties plaats tussen betogers en veiligheidstroepen. Daarbij zijn 25 doden gevallen en vele honderden personen gewond geraakt, waaronder enkele buitenlanders. In de afgelopen weken hebben zich nog een aantal incidenten voorgedaan waarbij doden en gewonden zijn gevallen.

De politieke situatie is thans zeer gespannen. Veiligheidstroepen hebben op 13 mei het gebied rondom de demonstratie van de roodhemden voor alle verkeer afgesloten. Bij gewelddadige confrontaties tussen veiligheidstroepen en betogers op 13 en 14 mei vielen volgens berichten 16 doden en raakten ruim 100 personen gewond. De verwachting is dat deze gewelddadige confrontaties de komende dagen voortduren.

Reizigers die nu in Bangkok zijn wordt geadviseerd het gebied (begrensd door Petchaburi Road, Wireless Road, Rama 4 en Phya Thai Road) volledig te mijden.

Voor reizigers die op de luchthaven van Bangkok overstappen op andere vluchten bestaat er geen probleem.
Reizigers wordt aangeraden de berichtgeving in de media te volgen (bijv. via www.nationmultimedia.com of www.bangkokpost.com) en zich goed te informeren over de actuele politieke ontwikkelingen. Ook via de website van de Nederlandse ambassade www.netherlandsembassy.in.th kunnen de ontwikkelingen worden gevolgd. Via deze website kunt u zich desgewenst laten registreren.
Naar aanleiding van de recente spanningen met Cambodja over de tempel Preah Vihear worden reizen naar de Thaise grensprovincie Sisaket ontraden.

Dagelijks worden er in de zuidelijke provincies aanslagen gepleegd (zie verder ‘Onveilige gebieden’).

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Tourists under fire in Dusit Thani

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[li]Published: 17/05/2010 at 02:50 AM[/li][li]Online news: Breakingnews[/li][/ul]

The luxury Dusit Thani Hotel near the shirt shirts’ line came under gunfire early Monday and a loud blast was heard, prompting guests to shelter in the basement, according to an AFP journalist inside.
“I was in bed. There was a big explosion very close to my room. I went out of the room, other people did too and at that moment the wall outside was hit by bullets,” said AFP photographer Pedro Ugarte.

“We received a few phone calls (from hotel staff) and they said, ‘Come down you are under attack’. Everybody is now in the basement, about 100 people,” he said by telephone from the Dusit Thani hotel where the incident occurred.bron:http://www.bangkokpost.com

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Volg op veen_NT op Twitter (is een Nation-reporter midden in de warzone) en je krijgt een bijna live-verslag van de gebeurtenissen in Bangkok.

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**Compleet Gestoord !

** New ultimatum for Bangkok protest
KARN G BULSUK, FROM THE USA
Monday 00:30 local time, Sunday 1830 BST
Are we scared? Yes. Never have we seen such chaos and unrest in what is known as the Land of Smiles.
The protest is spreading into previously unaffected areas. I live in Klong Toey, some way from the protesters. When we heard that the army was starting to blockade a main junction nearby we decided to call it quits.


We heard that there had been clashes between the army and red shirts just 15 minutes after we had left


We quickly packed our bags and evacuated the house, heading at first to my grandmother’s place. We were also afraid that the authorities would cut off water and electricity, like in they did in the Bonkai area. Later, we learned that the protestors have set up a make shift stage just a five-minute walk from our house.
We also heard that there had been clashes between the army and red shirts just 15 minutes after we had left. The red shirts are being increasingly violent and desperate in their actions.
We were forced to move yet again when we learned that the red shirts were stealing cars at the Bonkai area to drive into the army, to our condo four kilometres out.
I think there will be more bloodshed and even if the army end this, Thailand will be changed and groups will assume violence is the answer to their problems.
JOHN TAYLOR, FROM LONDON, UK
Sunday, 2015 local time (1415 BST)
John Taylor lives in an apartment close to where the protesters are.
I am really scared now. I feel even more like a prisoner.
Somehow the red shirt protesters have got past the security forces and have surrounded our building.


My fear is that they are going to set [the tyres] alight and try to choke us


Within the last two hours they have dumped loads of soil and put stacks of tyres around the block.
My fear is that they are going to set them alight and try to choke us. This is disgusting - there are lots of women and children in this block.
I have no idea why the protesters would try to do this. Maybe they are trying to make a statement of rich versus poor.
I tried to leave in the last hour-and-a-half but a protester put a grenade in my face and said: “You leave, you die.”

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Ministerie raadt reizen naar Thailand af Bron AD

http://www.ad.nl/static/FOTO/pe/6/8/9/media_xl_139884.jpg?20100516221613

Demonstranten in de Thaise hoofdstad Bangkok. FOTO GETTY IMAGES
UPDATE DEN HAAG - Het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken heeft het reisadvies voor mensen die naar Thailand willen zondag aangescherpt. Werden eerder alle niet-essentiële reizen ontraden, nu wordt geadviseerd helemaal niet meer naar Bangkok of Thailand af te reizen vanwege het geweld en de instabiele politieke situatie.
De situatie in de hoofdstad is zeer gespannen. Het ministerie heeft het het reisadvies daarom aangescherpt tot het hoogste waarschuwingsniveau (niveau 6)

Bij de protesten, die sinds maart aan de gang zijn, zijn inmiddels 59 doden en meer dan zestienhonderd mensen gewonden gevallen. De demonstranten gebruiken zelfgemaakte benzinebommen, vuurwerk en stenen tegen de militairen. De protestleiders zeggen bereid te zijn onmiddellijk te onderhandelen. De militairen schieten met rubberen kogels en met scherpe munitie. De regering houdt vol dat alleen gewapende ‘terroristen’ doelwit zijn.

Reizigers naar Thailand wordt hoe dan ook aangeraden samenscholingen en demonstraties te mijden en actuele ontwikkelingen te volgen. Het ministerie raadt mensen in Thailand aan zich te registreren via de website van de Nederlandse ambassade in Bangkok.

Eerder werd bekend dat de Nederlandse ambassade maandag in Bangkok buiten het door het leger afgezette gebied een kantoor voor acute noodgevallen opent. De Nederlandse ambassade in Bangkok is sinds vrijdag gesloten, nadat er opnieuw ongeregeldheden waren uitgebroken. (NOVUM/BVDL)

Bekijk het reisadvies van het ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken.

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Doodsbange mensen

The Foreign Office advised against all but essential travel to Bangkok and many others areas of the country, after the month-long political protests led to more bloodshed at the weekend. The death toll from clashes between Thai troops and anti-government protesters rose to 29, with 221 injured, according to Thai officials.
The British Embassy itself in Bangkok has been caught up in the street clashes and was closed over much of the weekend.

  The Foreign Office advised British travellers: "If you are already in    Thailand, you should consider whether it is essential for you to  travel to    Bangkok. Wherever possible, you should take transport services which  do not    involve transiting areas of Bangkok where political protests are  taking    place."

Other areas that travellers have been warned against visiting, unless necessary, are the popular backpack areas in the north of the country: Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Ayuthaya. The area in the south, on the border with Malaysia, is also a risky destination, according to the Foreign Office.
However, the Association of British Travel Agents, said that there was no reason why British tourists could not enjoy most of the popular beach resorts such as Phuket. Sean Tipton, a spokesman, said: “it is fairly easy to bypass Bangkok city. The airport is safe and most tour operators are merely flying their customers between Bangkok airport and other destinations, without any need for travellers to go into the capital itself.”
Thailand is one of the most popular long-haul destinations for British holidaymakers, with 600,000 visiting every year. Over the weekend there were still many in Bangkok confused by the situation.
Gary Wilson, 29, and Urszula Wojciechowski, 39, a British couple from Leicestershire, arrived at their Bangkok hotel last Thursday, after spending two weeks at the beach, oblivious to the scale of the protests. The hotel they were staying at was in the centre of the 'live fire’ zone and between the Thai Army lines and those of anti-government protesters. But the hotel’s management had taken away all the news sections of the papers and blocked news channels on the television.
Ms Wojciechowski said soldiers had told them to leave their taxi on the way back from a restaurant. “I was really scared. We got out and were told to walk to an army post and they pointed their guns at us.
“I have never been so scared in my life. There were guns and bombs still going off and we had to cross this very wide junction.
“We walked across with our hands in the air praying we wouldn’t be shot. I have never been so scared in all my life. My heart was pounding. The junction was pitch dark and you just felt so alone”.

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UDD: Veera “holding talks with govt”

[ul]
[li]Published: 17/05/2010 at 10:24 AM[/li][li]Online news: Breakingnews[/li][/ul]

Chairman of the United front for Democracy against Dictatorship Veera Musigkapong is now holding secret peace talks with the government and the discussion’s initial outcome was encouraging, UDD co-leader Weng Tochirakarn said on Monday.
“Mr Veera had sent a letter to UDD core leaders insisting that he is still performing duty as a co-leader and is now discussing with representatives of the government to rapidly end political crisis”, Mr Weng said.
He confirmed on UDD demands for the government to stop using force, withdraw away military troops and allow the UN to mediate truce talks to end the escalating political problem.
Mr Weng reaffirmed that there is no war weapons at the Ratchaprasong intersection rally site as claimed by the government. However, he admitted that UDD core leaders could not control their supporters outside the Ratchaprasong intersection area.
He also admitted that a number of red-shirts wanted to leave the rally site and parts of them have moved into the nearby Wat Pathum Wanaram.
But this has no effect on the rally as most red-shirts still back UDD, he said.ARTIKELhttp://www.bangkokpost.com

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Red shirt leider welke geschoten in het hoofd tijdens interview Seh Daeng pronounced dead at 9:20 am

BANGKOK: – Maj Gen Khattiya Sawasdiphol, the controversial Army specialist, was pronounced dead at 9:20 am.

The director of the Vajira Hospital, Chaiwan Charoenchokthawwee, announced his death at a press conference.

Doctors tried but failed to revive him after the his blood pressure dropped until his heart stopped beating.

His relatives will retrieve his body at 1 pm and funeral ceremony will be held at the Soamanus Temple.

Bron: The Nation

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:chin:negatief reis buitenlandse zaken voor heel Thailand lees ik nu op de telegraaf.nl
Ik doe zo lang dit geld geen advies meer uit brengen om tegaan of om niet te gaan naar Thailand iedereen die nu in Thailand is heel veel sterkte en pas goed op je zelf ga zeker niet naar de probleem gebieden
groetjes Fransjes:THAILAND::cambodia:

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Buza ontraadt alle reizen naar Thailand.

DEN HAAG - Buitenlandse Zaken heeft het reisadvies voor Thailand aangescherpt. Het ministerie ontraadt nu alle reizen naar Thailand. Eerder nog zei het ministerie nog dat het beter zou zijn niet naar de Thaise hoofdstad Bangkok te reizen als het niet verantwoord en noodzakelijk is.

Buitenlandse Zaken geeft dit reisadvies in verband met de onzekere en instabiele politieke situatie in Thailand en het daaruit voortvloeiend geweld.
Het departement raadt reizigers naar Thailand hoe dan ook aan samenscholingen en demonstraties te mijden en zich goed te (laten) informeren over de actuele ontwikkelingen.

Bron: Telegraaf.nl

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Seh Daeng pronounced dead

Published: 17/05/2010 at 10:42 AM
Online news: Breakingnews

Maj Gen Khatiya Sawasdipol, 59, a rogue army specialist widely known as Seh Daeng, was pronounced dead at 9.20am on Monday by Vajira Hospital.

Religious rites will be held at Wat Sommanas Viharn late this afternoon.

He was admitted to the hospital last Thursday night in critical condition after being shot in the head.

He was viewed as a hardline red-shirt supporter and strategist.

*Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com *

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Bangkok burning

- Red shirts ask for talks to ‘put end to deaths’ - Govt crackdown to carry on, curfew plan on hold

Published: 17/05/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Plans to announce a curfew have been put on hold, but all schools and government offices in Bangkok will be closed Monday as chaos continues to wrack the capital.

Black smoke fills the sky over Din Daeng junction as red shirt protesters burn tyres to keep soldiers at bay. APICHIT JINAKUL

A warning from the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation could not deter people from coming out to witness clashes between soldiers and the red shirts at Bon Kai. PATTARACHAI PREECHAPANICH

Fire from burning tyres at Bon Kai spreads to a Tesco Lotus Express shop last night. PATTARACHAIPREECHAPANICH

*More than 500 monks pray for peace at Victory Monument as tensions rise between protesters and the government. NATTHITI AMPRIWAN

*A protester throws a firecracker at soldiers at the Din Daeng intersection. Black smoke filled the area as protesters burnt tyres. APICHIT JINAKUL

*Red shirt protesters hide behind tyres used to block Rama IV Road near the entrance of Soi Ngam Dupli opposite Bon Kai. The protesters are armed with an improvised flamethrower. PAWAT LAOPAISARNTAKSIN

*Two red shirt protesters fill bottles with petrol for use as makeshift explosives. APICHIT JINAKUL

*A protester holds up a wooden stick with a crash helmet on it to draw soldiers’ fire. Tyres were used to block Rama IV Road in front of Soi Ngam Dupli. PAWAT LAOPAISARNTAKSIN

*Astray dog passes burning tyres used by protesters to repel soldiers at Bon Kai. JETJARASNARANONG

The city was thrown into confusion on Sunday when the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation said it would impose a curfew in some areas of Bangkok, only to then retract the statement a few hours later when army chief Anupong Paojinda reportedly opposed the decision.

The army commander remained confident the army could handle the situation without a curfew which could cause more trouble for people in the capital.

But the centre did not rule out a curfew in the future if the situation worsened.

The centre’s decisions to defer the reopening of schools and the declaration of today and tomorrow as holidays for government offices were unavoidable due to the fighting in the capital and elsewhere in the country, the centre said.

Also on Sunday, the clashes spread to Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani, which are support bases of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship.

As the chaos entered a third day yesterday, the death and injury toll continued to rise.

Thirty-four have now been killed, according to figures released Monday morning. More than 221 have been injured.

In addition to putting pressure on the UDD at its Ratchaprasong rally site, the centre has banned the financial transactions of 106 firms and people including soldiers seen as close to the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School class of deposed former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The government hopes to weaken the red shirt demonstration by cutting off its financial supply.

The pressure is aimed at forcing the UDD leaders to end their protest.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva insisted yesterday that dispersal of the demonstrators was the only way to save people’s lives.

Red shirt leaders, however, asked if they could enter negotiations with the government to prevent further deaths on condition that the United Nations brokered an end to what they called civil war.

The government dismissed the demand and said the crackdown would continue.

The deadlock worried 160 grass-roots and activist groups which said they did not want to see the country plunge into disaster. They urged an end to the fighting and said negotiations should be given another chance to defuse the tension.

*Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com *

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Women, elderly refuse to budge

Published: 17/05/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Women and the elderly taking part in the red shirt protest have defied the government’s recommendation to leave the rally and return home, saying they are fearless and already have a temple as a safe haven for themselves and their children.

Red shirt protesters, who are mostly women and children, gather close to the rally stage at the Ratchaprasong intersection yesterday. Many women and children were later moved to a nearby temple. KOSOL NAKACHOL

They were responding to calls from the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation yesterday urging women, children and the elderly to leave the site by 3pm today.

Thai Red Cross officers and NGO staff said they would go to the rally site and persuade the group to leave.

“This temple should be a safe enough place for our children,” said a woman in her sixties, who did not give her name, referring to Wat Pathumwanaram which is next to the rally site.

She was among a number of the elderly, women and children who used the temple’s ground yesterday as a temporary refuge.

“If there is violence near the rally’s main stage, we will bring children here,” she said.

Even though there has been reports of clashes between protesters and government forces which resulted in fatalities and injuries, she would not go.

“No matter what happens, I’ll never leave the rally,” she said. “Our friends have died for us, so we’ll never leave others for the sake of personal safety.”

At the temple, Sangwaan Kaew-sanga, 49, said she had no worries about her own safety because she believed she “is fighting for the right thing”.

“Little children will stay here in this temple. But for women who want to fight, we will still gather in front of the stage,” she said. "Everybody is united. Nobody wants to back off.

“I don’t fear death.”

Other women in the temple joined her in condemning the government over its lethal treatment of the protesters, saying this was another key reason for them to stay put. They said they would not leave even though there were officials from the Thai Red Cross advising them to go.

Red shirt leader Natthawut Saikua yesterday told protesters who have children to stay inside the temple “to avoid losses of lives”.

Wanlop Tangkhananurak, a senator and the secretary-general of the Children Creation Foundation, said acting police chief Pateep Tanprasert called him to help coordinate with child rights organisations to urge people to abandon the site and move to safer areas.

Wat Pathumwanaram and the Police General Hospital have been set aside as safe havens.

The UN International Children’s Fund in Thailand also called on all concerned to ensure the safety and protection of children and women in and around the protest site.

“We urge all parties involved to use all the means at their disposal to ensure that children and women are neither targeted in the ongoing violence nor allowed to become victims of it,” a Unicef spokesman said.

*Bron: Bangkok Post / www.bangkokpost.com *