Friday, March 12, 2010

Shinawatras flee country before rally


Family said to fear being held hostage

10/03/2010
Bangkok Post

Members of Thaksin Shinawatra's immediate family have left or are leaving the country ahead of this weekend's rally by supporters of the fugitive former prime minister.

Thaksin's former wife Potjaman na Pombejra and their son Panthongtae Shinawatra left for Hong Kong on Monday while their two daughters Ms Pinthongta and Ms Paethongtan fly out today for Berlin.

A source from the Puea Thai Party said yesterday the trips were organised in the expectation that there could be unrest at the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship protest at the weekend. There were also concerns they might be taken hostage if the situation turned violent.

The UDD is hoping to attract one million red shirts to the demonstration but security authorities say they may be over-estimating.

Army chief Anupong Paojinda is confident the Internal Security Act, which was endorsed by the government yesterday and transfers the role of maintaining law and order from the police to the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), will be adequate to deal with the rally without recourse to emergency rule.

Gen Anupong said there was no need at this stage to fall back on the Executive Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations, which gives officers more sweeping powers to deal with protesters.

The internal security law will cover all areas of Bangkok, all districts of Nonthaburi and 21 other districts in Ayutthaya, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Pathom, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon from tomorrow until March 23.

Isoc, chaired by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, will meet today to find ways to coordinate efforts to handle the rally.

The prime minister said the government would not use force to quell the demonstration. But he ruled out dissolving parliament, saying this option would not put an end to the problem.

Mr Abhisit urged supporters of Thaksin to rethink their ideas now that Khunying Potjaman and her children would not be in the country during the rally. He said red shirt supporters should now realise that while they are fighting hard for the interests of the Shinawatra family, the Shinawatras were living in the lap of luxury. It was irresponsible to leave their supporters in the lurch.

In addition to the ISA, the cabinet has also decided to place 17 other laws under the authority of Isoc instead of the usual agencies. They include laws on disaster prevention, medical emergencies, road traffic, water transport and radio operations.

Puea Thai MP for Samut Prakan Pracha Prasopdee said the government plan to impose the ISA would not discourage pro-Thaksin supporters upcountry who have vowed to go ahead with their demonstration in the capital.

At least 100,000 people will travel to Bangkok from the Northeast, according to UDD co-leader Nisit Sinthuprai, a former MP for Roi Et.

The People's Alliance for Democracy stressed yesterday that its members would not counter the UDD rally. But the PAD would stay alert and wait for orders from its leaders for future moves, it said in a statement.

Deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau Piya Uthayo said at least 8,000 city police, including 41 crowd control units, would be on standby to support security operations.

Ayutthaya police chief Jaruwat Waisaya said he had received reports that the UDD planned to use at least 120 boats to carry red shirt supporters from Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani, and Nonthaburi provinces along the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok. They would disembark at the Tha Phra Chan pier, Pol Maj Gen Jaruwat said.

He said boat skippers could face legal action if the boats carried too many passengers.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

ชาวไทยที่รักประชาธิปไตยแท้จริง (เลือดของชาติสีแดง) ต้องยืนขึ้นล้มสถาบันกษัตริย์เน่าเปื่อย ขับไล่ไอ้หมาหน้าหี อภิสิทธิ์ กษิต ออกจากเก้าอี้รัฐบาลที่แต่งตั้งโดย กษัตริย์ลิง 'เล็ก'...

Anonymous said...

Thai government and PAD (yellow shirt) in Thailand is appealing SRP's supporters to help them to fight with Red shirt.

All SRP's supporters please help our ally in Bangkok this weekend.

SRP (Candle light)

Anonymous said...

This is your good Chance right now, for people in the Southern(YALA)it's time to fight for our FREEDOM!! to free from Thais Gov't's abusive our people of YALA!! we will fight the last drop of our bloods...God will show us the WAY!!!!


Issa,

Anonymous said...

This is your good Chance right now, for people in the Southern(YALA)it's time to fight for our FREEDOM!! to free from Thais Gov't's abusive our people of YALA!! we will fight the last drop of our bloods...God will show us the WAY!!!!


Issa,

Anonymous said...

YO YO YO Siem bandits , Siem barbarians just like hun sen . i want to see Srok Siem going to war against each other.

FROM TIU ZCHOW KHMER REFUGEE DANDGREK CAMP.

Anonymous said...

Why you link Thailand with Sam Ransy? he has nothing to involve with Thailand. Only Hun Sen does. Why don't you ask Hun Sen to go to border again to protect red-shirt people in case they are arrested by the Thai government?

Anonymous said...

SRP has alliance with Democratic party of current Thai Prime Minister Abhisit while Hun Sen's CPP has alliance with Pheur Thai Party of red shirt.

Anonymous said...

Abhishit and Sam Rainxy were team up tegether...you guy should wake up from your wet dream!

Anonymous said...

Bangkok will burns to the ground, if Abhisit don't step down in couple day...more bombs are on the way to bangkok city..!

Anonymous said...

I ugue all the Khmer ancestor in siame wake up and breake away from them. Now is a good chane for us to reunited with central Khmer people.

Anonymous said...

11:59 PM Anonymous said...

We Thai seriouly love our nation. (our red shirt blood) must stand up together until our organization turn rotten. Force this idiot pussy dog face Abhisit Vijjajiva out of that government chair since from the begin. Little monkey PM.

Khmer562

KHMER/THAI/LAO are the same.
KHMER when used sraa AH (7).
NA, NE, NEA when used NAU sound.
THAI/LAO sraa AH same sound with all of different alphabets.

Anonymous said...

Thacksin's supporters are strange people. You don't know who they really are. Thacksin himself is more of republic which means American style's republic, but his supporters are all dressed in red. Some were even wore red star on their hats. So they mean republic want to be in China's style, correct? If so, it's very very bad. Communist is a lier and human right abuser. Those people just don't know it. PM Abhisit needs to convince them fast and act quickly in term of replacing their belief. Poor Thai are suffering greatly under the ruling elite of Thailand, yet no one does anything significantly for them, but Thacksin. So if this people are fooled to believe that Communist will bring happiness for them. They could be more wrong and Mr. Thacksin's strongest supporter, you bet , it will China and not America. Thacksin will have no choise , but will rule his country according to China just like Hun Sen is trying in vein to please them. Hun Sen by all means betrays the democracy under the constitutional Monarchy country in Cambodia with whatever he can get away with it to be with China. King Bhumibal needs to act fast and use some of his $35 billions fortune to do something about it now or creating welfare department or something or else forever hold their peace and Bangkok can kiss their high flying seat and fame/fortune good bye!!!