Urgent: Police fire tear gas at protesters in front of Parliament

BANGKOK: -- Police fire dozens of tear gases at protesters, who staged a blockade outside Parliament at 6:20 am.

The firing of tear gases managed to open an access to Parliament at the gate on Phichai Road.

Leading members of the People's Alliance for Democracy urged the protesters to remain protesting there.

-- The Nation 2008-10-07

PAD siege broken

BANGKOK: -- Riot police launched a surprise tear-gas raid Tuesday morning to break up a siege and tear down barricades at parliament erected up overnight by supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy.

The PAD protesters retreated as unarmed police with shields and face masks moved through the barbed-wire barricades and tore them down.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat ordered police to clear the way into parliament for the scheduled policy debate on Tuesday morning. He had called an urgent cabinet meeting late Monday night after PAD human shields ringed parliament to prevent the meeting.

Several people were carried from the protest by fellow demonstrators after the short tear-gas attack, but it was not clear if there were any casualties when police moved in to clear the human blockade of parliament.

Hundreds of police massed in riot formation marched up to parliament shortly after sunrise at 6am. Officers armed with grenade launchers immediately began firing tear gas cannisters at the barricades.

Most of the gas grenades burst in piles of tyres placed by the demonstrators as part of their barricade. With the CS gas still heavy in the air and wafting over the area, police moved in to tear down the steel gates and barbed wire that had been strung by the PAD.

Most of the policemen had no protection against the gas, and covered their faces with handkerchiefs. The PAD crowds pulled back from the area as police moved in to open roads and remove the protesters' barricades.

PAD supporters screamed at police through the loudspeaker system as officers moved in, but the actual PAD core leaders were not seen. PAD founder and leader Sondhi Limthongkul could be heard deploring the "police attack on children in our midst" but he also did not come to the foreground of the action.

-- TNA, Bangkok Post 2008-10-07

Police break up Parliament's blockade with tear gases
Dozens of protesters injured; one lost leg, one reporter injured

BANGKOK: -- Police fire dozens of tear gases at protesters, who staged a blockade outside Parliament at 6:20 am, injuring dozens of demonstrators.

A protester lost his leg during the disperse and one reporter was injured.

The firing of tear gases managed to open an access to Parliament at the gate on Phichai Road.

Leading members of the People's Alliance for Democracy urged the protesters to remain protesting there.

Police took about 20 minutes to break open the blockade at the gate on Phichai Road.

TV scenes showed police in gas protecting masks pushing protesters back from the gate.

Many protesters were seen washing their face with water and many injured protesters were seen carried away by their peers.

The PAD leaders inside Government House urged the protesters there to move reinforce the protesters at Parliament.

Pipop Thongchai, a PAD leader, condemned police's use of force against the protesters.

-- The Nation 2008-10-07

From TOC

Senators Boycott Policy Declaration
UPDATE : 7 October 2008

A group of senators have announced that they will boycott today's policy declaration by the government at Parliament and will not attend the session to show their opposition against the police's crackdown on the PAD protestors.

The opposition Democrat Party remains undecided on its stance whether to join today's policy declaration House session.

Today's session is scheduled for 9.30 am while the government and opposition whips will meet at 8.30 am in preparation for the session.

MPs and senators have been notified via sms about the route they should take to Parliament to avoid the PAD protest.

Just watched the images on TV.

A very disorganised police effort but the tear gas seemed to do the job. A lot of gas was used. Maybe without Chamlong to coordinate the counter attack of the PAD the authorities are confident they can clear the area. Won't take much to outwit the Thai police though. We'll have to wait a little longer to see what PAD do.

I think Dems will boycott today's meeting.

Only one entrance was cleared, reportedly. Once PAD reenforcements arrive, it might be blocked again. I don't see them backing off the Parliament at the moment.

Some 20 protesters treated at Vachira Hospital

BANGKOK: -- Channel 3 reported Tuesday morning that some 20 protesters were being treated at the Vachira Hospital following police's use of tear gases to disperse their protest at Parliament.

Some 2,000 protesters remain on Uthong Nai Road

Following the use of tear gases to disperse protesters, some 2,000 demonstrators remained protesting on the Uthong Nai Road at 7:28 am Tuesday.

Police secure one entrance to the Parliament on the Phichai Road and some policemen were stationed inside the Parliament compound.

-- The Nation 2008-10-07

Dear mister Somchai is showing his true face very fast. He asks for peace with one hand and with the other hand he commits violence. Shows what kind of a person he is.

Waerth

Not a surprise isn't, or?
Or do you think he want corrupt politic (himself) get punished??

PPP spokesman says policy debate to be held at Parliament as scheduled

BANGKOK: -- People Power Party deputy spokesman Boonjong Wongtrairat said the government policy debate will be held at Parliament as scheduled despite the violent disperse of protesters there.

He said Parliament President Chai Chidchob had not informed MPs of the change of venue for the debate yet.

-- The Nation 2008-10-07

His missus wears the trousers in his government

Or an influential person in London (but don't know if it makes any difference).

I think PAD is over reaching,
but I can understand their being MORE than a little upset.
No coincidense that Chamlong was arrested on the eve of
the policy speech meeting, a prefect time to make PAD mad as hel_l.

And or Chamlong decided to get out before it went down counter to
his wihes, but that is PURELY speculation. What is clear is that Thaksin
hardliners are controling the police at the moment.
Another power shift at the moment?

Another clear thing, if the PPP, about to be banned, is going to try and
redo the constitution there will be madness going on to stop them.

Without the eminent PPP Party dissolution suspending like Damocles sword,
there might be less intention to stop them, but too many feel they have
no legitimacy to rewrite the constitution during their limited month or two
of future existence. The dissolution is pretty much a foregone conclusion.

If a retro-active Thaksin and/or PPP saving amendment sees the light of day,
The streets WILL go mad. Regardless of legalistic issues, PPP is playing with fire.
It shows THEIR desperation as much as Thaksin's and PAD's to stop them.

If they try to continue to stop the street with force, to back up saving their OWN ASSES.
it will go very very bad. Graft the people would accept up to a point, stupidity of decisions,
they seem to except as S.O.P., but width, depth and breadth of PAD support is showing
that the limits of what they will tolerate is very, very close to the edge right now.
PPP is playing with fire, and not just from PAD, this is only the spearhead.

May you live in interesting times, Somchai...
Don't listen to the man behind the curtain,
he may be family, but he ain't your friend.

What kind of person he is??? He was unblocking the parliament building.

The PAD should not have been blocking it. Tear gas is the only language they understand.

Am I missing something here?

Anti-government protesters flee from tear gas smoke in front of parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008. Police fired tear gas Tuesday at several thousand demonstrators attempting to block access by lawmakers to the Parliament building in the Thai capital.
Associated Press

One man appeared to have been hit by a tear-gas grenade as he he ran, breaking or tearing off part of his leg. Several people were carried from the protest by fellow demonstrators after the short tear-gas attack.

Prime Minister and Defence Minister Somchai Wongsawat ordered police to clear the way into parliament

http://www.bangkokpost.net/topstories/tops...s.php?id=131152

Remember Thaksin spent years attempting to stack the Police and Army decks
with HIS friends. The army list reshuffle just went into effect this week too.
Maybe the calculation is he controls them enough to move now.

I don't think PM.Somchai is in nearly as much control as some credit him with.
This sounds like another round of Thaksin's version of the end game.

Clear out desenting voices, then do the constitution tricks to regain power,
cancel the 2nd string's impending dissolution and retroactively forgive the 1st string's,
then neuter the courts a bit. Daddy war bucks can come home and run the shooting match.

Of course a conflagration in Bangkok will nicely back up his asylum claims too.
But he is shooting FAR beyond that only.

This post has been edited by animatic: 2008-10-07 08:36:31

The Party Leader of the People Power Party orders the police... but People Power Party denies involvement???


PPP Denies Involvement in Police's Crackdown on Protestors

The ruling People Power Party insists the government's policy declaration must go ahead as planned today. It also denies involvement in the police's crackdown on the PAD protest at Parliament at dawn this morning.

TOC / 1 minute ago

Huh???
The police acted, therefore Thaksin is running the police?
The army didn't stop the police so Thaksin must control the army?

I haven't read the news for a couple of days. I guess there has been a lot going on.

Condolances to the man who lost his leg. That was not meant to happen.

This post has been edited by Bryan in Isaan: 2008-10-07 08:38:54

Number of injured protesters at 72 so far

BANGKOK: -- The number of protesters injured when police fired tear gases to break up Parliament's blockade was reported at 72 so far, Channel 3 said.

It said 50 protesters were treated at the Vachira Hospital and 22 others at the Ramathibodi Hospital.

It said the man, who suffered a severe injury on his leg and doctors had to amputate it, was identified as Panya Phumekaew.

-- The Nation 2008-10-07

Sathit says opposition MPs may not walk over people's blood to attend meeting

Chief opposition whip Sathit Wongnongtoey said Tuesday that opposition MPs may not walk over the people's blood to attend the government policy debate.

"How could MPs walk over the people's blood to attend the meeting?"

The Nation / 3 minutes ago

PAD is not overreacting....Think for the amendment move of the constitution which is in Parliament today. that might be a surprise move by the PPP to quickly change the constitution.

Add it to the other 999.999 cases in which we found PPP or Thaksins family lying without any shame.
Recall Thaksins speeches within hours he could tell "I was always for red" "All my live I was for green" "Thailand will be the hub of blue"......
That worked well 50 years ago, but now with Internet and TV it gets more difficult to lye without being detected.

A riot police officer fires a tear gas shell at anti-government protesters in front of parliament in Bangkok, Thailand, on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008. Police fired tear gas Tuesday at several thousand demonstrators attempting to block access by lawmakers to the Parliament building in the Thai capital.
Associated Press

better not state the obvious I guess, its not polite

This post has been edited by rafval: 2008-10-07 08:45:38