Mark Dodd
The Australian
AUSTRALIANS have been urged to stay away from the Thai capital, Bangkok, as political tensions rise ahead of a court ruling that could see $2 billion in assets confiscated from former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The warning came yesterday from the Tourism Council of Thailand amid coup jitters after two attempted bombings and the threat of a million-strong march by Thaksin loyalists.
Council secretary Pornthip Hirunkape was quoted by ABC radio as warning Australians to stay away from Bangkok for the next fortnight.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has threatened to declare martial law to deal with any trouble by pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy supporters.
The fugitive billionaire ex-PM, forced out of office in a 2006 military coup, is living in neighbouring Cambodia but he retains a strong following in Thailand's rural northeast.
The English-language Bangkok Post newspaper says 3000 police and more than 2000 troops have been put on notice to ensure security in the capital.
The Australian National University's Thai expert, Andrew Walker, said there was reason for "considerable concern" about the situation in Thailand.
"Talking with people in Thailand who have connections with some of the players in politics, there's certainly an undercurrent of concern and anxiety that things could turn ugly," Dr Walker said. "The upcoming verdict on the Thaksin assets case is potentially a flashpoint.
"I think tensions are just so high now that it would very easy for things to spin out of control."
A court decision to seize Thaksin's assets would severely limit his ability to continue to be a major political player, he said.
The loyalties of the 300,000-strong Thai army are unknown but they would be likely to back Mr Abhisit, Dr Walker said.
"They certainly moved very firmly on the red-shirt Thaksin supporters last April," he said.
The army, whose traditional role has been to protect the monarchy, has been involved in 10 coups or coup attempts since 1971.
The warning came yesterday from the Tourism Council of Thailand amid coup jitters after two attempted bombings and the threat of a million-strong march by Thaksin loyalists.
Council secretary Pornthip Hirunkape was quoted by ABC radio as warning Australians to stay away from Bangkok for the next fortnight.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has threatened to declare martial law to deal with any trouble by pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy supporters.
The fugitive billionaire ex-PM, forced out of office in a 2006 military coup, is living in neighbouring Cambodia but he retains a strong following in Thailand's rural northeast.
The English-language Bangkok Post newspaper says 3000 police and more than 2000 troops have been put on notice to ensure security in the capital.
The Australian National University's Thai expert, Andrew Walker, said there was reason for "considerable concern" about the situation in Thailand.
"Talking with people in Thailand who have connections with some of the players in politics, there's certainly an undercurrent of concern and anxiety that things could turn ugly," Dr Walker said. "The upcoming verdict on the Thaksin assets case is potentially a flashpoint.
"I think tensions are just so high now that it would very easy for things to spin out of control."
A court decision to seize Thaksin's assets would severely limit his ability to continue to be a major political player, he said.
The loyalties of the 300,000-strong Thai army are unknown but they would be likely to back Mr Abhisit, Dr Walker said.
"They certainly moved very firmly on the red-shirt Thaksin supporters last April," he said.
The army, whose traditional role has been to protect the monarchy, has been involved in 10 coups or coup attempts since 1971.
4 comments:
another man-made tsunami in thailand! it definitely has that potential. tourists stay away from thailand!
Shall we play the game? (it's from a movie)
Wow! wow!
The Cambodian Government better follows up with this The Australian news and this Mark Dodd dude with "The fugitive billionaire ex-PM, forced out of office in a 2006 military coup, is living in neighbouring Cambodia" reporting in its article.
Don't let them get away with it.
Khmer peeps just sit back and relax watch the red shits vs the yellow shits plus the daily bomb blast in south.
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