Suthep says No to negotiations with government
He is unyielding, action leader Suthep Thaugsuban. “We don't negotiate. Our position is clear. We fight to the end, until we win or lose. It is easy to end our protests when Prime Minister Yingluck leaves and the People's Government and People's Legislative Council can be formed to bring about reforms.”
Suthep said this yesterday after the CMPO attempted to evacuate two rally venues. Suthep made fun of it. "Every inch of the PDRC anti-government rally has been left intact."
Observers view the CMPO's efforts as a response to criticism, including from recalcitrant red shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan, that it is not doing enough to evacuate the locations. A connection is also made with the court case about the legal validity of the emergency ordinance. The civil court will rule on this next week.
The operations are also said to be intended to prevent loss of face because the plan to cut off funding for the protest movement has run into problems. Those accused of this (or who think they will be accused of it) have already threatened legal action if hard evidence is lacking.
According to DSI head Tarit Pengdith, the real aim of yesterday's operations was to apprehend the protest leaders, but the police failed miserably at that too. What actually happened yesterday?
Common abbreviations
UDD: United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (red shirts)
Capo: Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (body responsible for applying the ISA)
CMPO: Center for Maintaining Peace and Order (responsible body for the State of Emergency that has been in effect since January 22)
ISA: Internal Security Act (emergency law that gives the police certain powers; applies throughout Bangkok; less strict than the Emergency Decree)
DSI: Department of Special Investigation (the Thai FBI)
PDRC: People's Democratic Reform Committee (headed by Suthep Thaugsuban, ex-opposition Democrat MP)
NSPRT: Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand (radical protest group)
Pefot: People's Force to Overthrow Thaksinism (ditto)
A 'victory' and a defeat
Yesterday brought a 'victory' and a defeat. The police succeeded in evacuating the protest location Makkhawan bridge and the surrounding area, but they were unable to do so on Chaeng Wattanaweg, despite the force majeure of a thousand police officers. Action group Pefot did not oppose the eviction and voluntarily left the bridge.
CMPO director Chalerm Yubamrung said yesterday that the Government House, the Ministry of the Interior and again Chaeng Wattanaweg will be next. According to him, the police found ping pong bombs, knives, slingshots, explosives and drugs at the bridge.
Action leader Suthep strongly denied that they came from the PDRC. Independent groups are said to have settled in the area between Suan Misakawan and the bridge. That was also the reason why Pefot did not oppose the eviction. The groups concerned are said to be vocational students, who are not afraid of violence. Nor did they heed orders from Pefot, the NSPRT and the Dhamma Army, who camped at the bridge.
The evacuation failed on Chaeng Wattanaweg, where the government complex is located. Police withdrew for 12 hours after being restrained by the protesters.
Today a new attempt will be made, this time with a larger police force if Luang Pu Buddha Issara, the protest leader on the ground, is not reasonable.
The monk was not impressed by the threat yesterday: Then we will provide more demonstrators, was his response. He said reinforcements would come from the province. Issara called on his supporters to block the road with cars and other vehicles.
Protest leader Somsak Kosaisuk at the Ministry of the Interior was also unimpressed by the threats. According to him, the CMPO only wants to end the siege because minister and Pheu Thai leader Charupong Ruangsuwan has his office there. Somsak said protesters from other locations have strengthened the ranks.
PDRC leader Sathit Wongnontoey told protesters in Pathumwan to expect the CMPO and police to attempt to clear the site this weekend. He asked them to be patient. "Victory is on the horizon when we can resist it."
(Source: Bangkok Post, Feb. 15, 2014; the information after the subheading is taken from a website post from yesterday, but I hardly see it in today's paper.)
Negotiations are already taking place in the background at a level slightly higher than Suthep.
I don't quite understand that this fanatic who wants to plunge Thailand into the abyss, and has gathered a relatively small group of followers for this, is still taken seriously by anyone. It would be better not to pay any attention to this.
Thailand has a number of problems that need to be solved, but the screamer Suthep is not the figure for it.
The man writes letters to Obama and Ban Ki Moon “to explain the situation in Thailand”. Never heard of the NSA or anything?
It's slowly making me aggressive now, it's taking too long now, Suthep can and is allowed to do anything, you don't experience this in any other country. The police were there but did little I was sitting in the car on the other side of the road in a traffic jam and could see everything well. I've been between those crazy people for more than 2 months now, the Thais are also tired of it in Bangkok and are starting to turn against Suthep, if I want to go from Sathorn to MBK shopping center I have to take the MRT to Silom and from there continue with the skytrain to MBK the last stop. You can't get there by car, the police and the police are not allowed from me army intervene and remove the demonstrators and the blockades, they are challenged by Suthep, the inhabitants have to go to work 1 to 2 hours earlier and are also home 1 to 2 hours later, this will not go well for long. vd blockades work (shop staff etc) are sick of it, bursting with headaches from the flute concerts and loud speeches and music.
Suthep says 'no' to bargaining. Well, it just goes to show that politicians don't give a damn about the ups and downs of a country. The fact that this misery damages the economy by billions every day will make it a worst for its own sake. Thailand, sleep well!