Friday, December 06, 2013

Thai king appeals for stability after violent protests


December 5, 2013

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Thailand's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej urged the nation to work together for "stability" in a speech Thursday on his 86th birthday, marked by an easing of tensions after violent anti-government protests.

The kingdom remains on edge following several days of street clashes during demonstrations aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and curbing the political influence of her brother Thaksin.

Demonstrators and police in Bangkok have been observing a temporary truce since Wednesday ahead of the birthday celebrations for King Bhumibol, who is treated as a near-deity by many Thais.

At a formal ceremony attended by dignitaries including the embattled premier, her political rivals and the nation's military heads, the king said the country "has been peaceful for a long time because everybody worked together".
"Every Thai should be aware of this and should perform their role for the benefit of the country, which is the stability and security of the country," he said in the speech broadcast on all television channels.

King Bhumibol, seen as a moral authority in the deeply divided nation, did not specifically mention the recent unrest.

The streets near his seaside palace were a sea of yellow Thursday as thousands of people wearing his signature colour turned out to celebrate in the central coastal town of Hua Hin, where he has lived since leaving hospital in August.

Kneeling supporters wept and shouted "Long live the King!" as the royal convoy made a brief tour of the town's streets before returning to the palace.

Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and Yingluck both made speeches in praise of the monarch at the solemn birthday ceremony, the first to be held in Hua Hin.

Demonstrators, who cleaned up a key rally site in Bangkok in preparation for the birthday festivities, have vowed to pause in reverence on Thursday but to resume their street action on Friday.

Any political action or violence during the public holiday would be seen as a serious sign of disrespect.

A huge portrait of the monarch had been erected at Democracy Monument near the capital's Grand Palace, where the tub-thumping speeches of a month-long anti-government rally temporarily gave way to cheerful celebrations.
   
Hundreds gathered to watch the official birthday ceremony on big screens, cheering loudly at the appearance of the king, the world's longest-serving monarch.

But demonstrators, who erupted into angry jeers when Yingluck appeared on screen, were insistent that they had not abandoned their fight to oust the government.

"Tomorrow we will protest," said Khieu, who gave only one name and sported a large, neon yellow "We Love the King" headband.

"I will come back until we win victory for the Thai people," she added.

Police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon to repel protesters trying to occupy key ministries in the unrest at the weekend, which left five dead and over 200 injured.

The demonstrators, who still occupy the finance ministry and a key government complex on the outskirts of Bangkok, want to suspend the country's democracy in favour of an unelected "people's council".

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a former deputy premier, has pledged to continue the fight to rid Thailand of what he calls the "Thaksin regime".

An arrest warrant for insurrection was issued for Suthep on Monday and authorities have called for him to give himself up.

Thailand has been periodically rocked by sometimes bloody unrest since then-premier Thaksin was deposed by royalist generals in a coup seven years ago.

He went into exile in 2008 to avoid jail for a corruption conviction which he says was politically motivated, but critics say he still controls his sister behind the scenes.

The long-running political conflict broadly pits a Bangkok-based middle class and royalist elite backed by the military, against rural and working-class voters loyal to Thaksin, a billionaire businessman-turned-populist politician.

The recent protests were triggered by an amnesty bill, since abandoned by Yingluck's ruling party, which opponents feared would have allowed Thaksin to return home.

They mark the biggest clashes since dozens of people were killed in a crackdown on mass pro-Thaksin rallies in Bangkok three years ago.

King Bhumibol has suffered from a range of ailments in recent years, but earlier this year left the Bangkok hospital where he had lived since 2009 to move to his Hua Hin palace with Queen Sirikit.

11 comments:

500Riel_toilet said...

this "thai" king is the direct descent of Khmer. He is the world richest monarch...

Anonymous said...

THE TRUTH REVEAL!!!

1st Grandmother is pure Khmer

2nd Father is half-Khmer

3th adopted is Grandfather last name

Anonymous said...

Right,if his country was next to Hanoi,his richness was doomed,because his kingdom full of coward individuals!...Like NamLaos today.Khmer at least still have patriotism every generation despite all killing from Hanoi's hidden hands in Khmer's society every generation,we still never give up.Struggle will go on to free ourselves,nation from Yiekcong killing machine,in this generation dirty tricks of Hanoi were exposed every days by Khmer patriotism and nationalism to prevents,protects,preserves our nation from falling into traps set by Srey Yuons,but someone like Hun sen still trapped by her tricks,refused to wake up!...Please help expose all yuon's tricks!

Kmenhwatt

Anonymous said...



So what Ho Chi Minh was Khmer too!!! Hahaha..

Anonymous said...

half of yuon, siem and liev are khmer bloodline, too! historically, that's how khmer are gettting smaller, they ran away and adopt to other countries like vietnam, thailand, laos, etc. what's left in cambodia is the remnant of the entire khmer empire.

Anonymous said...

I think American are also from khmer's too since they like to say; " motherfucker ".

Anonymous said...

Those American like to says;Mother's Fxxxker were sending back to Khmer's nation,they living @Namyang already! Ha!ha!ha...! 400-600 of'em in Hell called Nambodia,under uncle's Ho dominant's regime capital @Hanoi,ruled by Ah kwak Hun sen-thug'regime!...Lol...

Kmenhwatt

Anonymous said...



500Riel_toilet paper

Your opinion is perfectly matched to your name.





Anonymous said...

what do Khmer king do for Khmer people today? Nothing ! 50 yrs kingdom king bring horror to khmer people. look at khmer today shit and hell.

Anonymous said...



The Thai king was a descendant of Khmer and so was Ho Chi Minh.
What is why they both badly want Cambodia to be incorporated into Thailand and Vietnam.

Anonymous said...

If HUN SEN will not the power, Cambodian will be controlled by Vietnamese, if all Cambodia wish to have their right, justice, democracy, and freedom and have a good standard of living, all Cambodian must stand up to overthrow HUN SEN from the power now otherwise it will be too late,,,