By Mark Magnier, Los Angeles Times
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- After weeks of demonstrations that saw glitzy shopping malls blocked, blood splattered on the prime minister's residence and tourism dented, Thailand's leader on Wednesday declared a state of emergency in Bangkok, handing the army broad power to restore order.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva made the move after anti-government protesters broke into parliament, leading some lawmakers to make a dramatic rooftop escape aboard a Blackhawk helicopter, even as other parliamentarians scaled compound walls.
"Red shirt" protesters who oppose the current government, as opposed to the "yellow shirts" in Thailand's color-coded political system who generally favor the status quo, are calling for the dissolution of parliament and a new election within 15 days.
In response to the emergency decree, red shirt leaders urged supporters to stay in place, wait for the military to arrive and prepare for another major rally Friday.
Mr. Abhisit, struggling with a weak political mandate, offered his reasoning for the decree in a televised statement that broke into scheduled programming. "The government has tried its best to enforce the law, but violations of the law have increased," the Oxford-educated leader said. "Our main goal is to bring the country back to normal and make our law sacred once again."
The prime minister didn't explain how the emergency decree would be applied. Bangkok was already under the Internal Security Act, but a state of emergency allows the government to impose curfews, ban public gatherings of more than five people, restrict or ban media coverage of news likely to "cause panic" and detain suspects without charges for as long as 30 days.
A key determinant in the political brinkmanship between the two sides will be the support they gain from the public and the army, a powerful force in politics.
The red shirts, who draw much of their strength from farmers and laborers largely left out of Thailand's economic boom, argue that Mr. Abhisit came to power illegitimately. Tens of thousands have camped out in the capital since March 12, sleeping in traffic circles and ignoring calls to disband.
Many red shirts support ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a coup in 2006. His overthrow has led to deep political divisions in Thai society that have hurt the country's economy, tourism trade and international reputation.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva made the move after anti-government protesters broke into parliament, leading some lawmakers to make a dramatic rooftop escape aboard a Blackhawk helicopter, even as other parliamentarians scaled compound walls.
"Red shirt" protesters who oppose the current government, as opposed to the "yellow shirts" in Thailand's color-coded political system who generally favor the status quo, are calling for the dissolution of parliament and a new election within 15 days.
In response to the emergency decree, red shirt leaders urged supporters to stay in place, wait for the military to arrive and prepare for another major rally Friday.
Mr. Abhisit, struggling with a weak political mandate, offered his reasoning for the decree in a televised statement that broke into scheduled programming. "The government has tried its best to enforce the law, but violations of the law have increased," the Oxford-educated leader said. "Our main goal is to bring the country back to normal and make our law sacred once again."
The prime minister didn't explain how the emergency decree would be applied. Bangkok was already under the Internal Security Act, but a state of emergency allows the government to impose curfews, ban public gatherings of more than five people, restrict or ban media coverage of news likely to "cause panic" and detain suspects without charges for as long as 30 days.
A key determinant in the political brinkmanship between the two sides will be the support they gain from the public and the army, a powerful force in politics.
The red shirts, who draw much of their strength from farmers and laborers largely left out of Thailand's economic boom, argue that Mr. Abhisit came to power illegitimately. Tens of thousands have camped out in the capital since March 12, sleeping in traffic circles and ignoring calls to disband.
Many red shirts support ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a coup in 2006. His overthrow has led to deep political divisions in Thai society that have hurt the country's economy, tourism trade and international reputation.
5 comments:
GO REDDDDDDDDDDD SHIRT....make ah piece of shit ah abhsit step down and move back to nanchao and take hes bitch ass oxford degree with him that stupid fuck.......he is a piece of shit .............just fire a RPG a his house and kill him.......make taksin PM again so he can return all of tailand back to cambodia.....
Die, die, siamese bastards.
red shirts or yellow shirts they are all siems (thieves )
While some of you are still insulting those Red or Yellow shirts, do you ever sit down in a minute and re-think that Russia and US now helping Vietnam behind making Vietnam to be one of a strongest nation in South Asia against China? Russia helps Vietnam to build warships, and US helps Vietnam with the nuclear power plant.
Thailand is not long, those elite and powerful Thais will soon be out of Thailand and Vietnamese secret army are everywhere. The US already abandonned Thailand for Vietnam, don't you see? The US and Russia are competing with each other to sleep with Vietnam because they see Vietnam has more advantage than other nations in South East Asia. Not only them, Japan and India also want to sleep with Vietnam. Not long ago one idiot Indian wrote article addressing the history of Vietnam tied to Indian and he ignored Khmer Empire; that tells us how Indian wants to sleep with Vietnam.
They want to sleep with Vietnam or with anyone, not that they love Vietnam or anything, but they want something from Vietnam for they know that Vietnam has advantage in SEA. If China attacks Vietnam, they won't help to defend Vietnam, but China may not attack Vietnam right now, because China wants Thaksin to take power in Thailand.
The US loved Thailand when Thailand had something to offer, like allowed the US to use US- based to bomb Cambodia and Vietnam.
Thailand is practically already taken by Vietnam though officially not yet. King Bhumibol and his family may face the execution like Tzar Nicholas of Russia. Why I said that? Most of Thai people hate Queen Sirikit and her monster son equally for being butchers. Sirikit owned diamond and gold more than any Queen in the world inspite of her unpretty look. Her son forced his wife to pose nude at the pool party while many servants male and female crawling to his feet; and his wife will be a future Queen of Thailand.
In Cambodia Khmers have their King who wears no golden watch nor any jewlry but begging money from high ranking to outsiders to build homes for his poor people.
Under the situation like that the wise men will survive; and it seems that Khmers' King will survive because he is poor and gentle serving his subjects, while Sirikit and her son forcing the subjects to serve them.
Cursing and insulting leaders around don't help you anything, it helps you to be more stupid and stupid never end.
Enjoy! We have about 2 more years to enjoy our journeys as human beings.
In 2012 a super sun storm will hit our planet. The Solar Flares Could Mean the End of Life as we KNOW it.
One of a great world scientist named Dr. Michio Kaku an astrophysicist reports to us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_TzIUlaQok
We need a spare planet to save our human species, and that spare planet is Mars. Hopefully, but when???
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