World

Bangkok Ablaze: Red Shirts Continue To Hold Off Government Troops

by Rory Cripps | May 17, 2010 at 05:53 am

324 views | 25 Recommendations | 5 comments

BANGKOK--Pro-democracy protesters armed with Molotov cocktails, slingshots, and fireworks entrenched behind barricades of burning tires and plastic bags filled with debris continue to hold off government troops in Thailand's capital.

In the past four days, clashes between protesters known as "Red Shirts" and government troops have resulted in 30 deaths and 250 injuries. Throughout the past two months, the Reds have caused major traffic and commerce disruptions by erecting a 1-square-mile makeshift barrier consisting of tires, bamboo poles, razor wire and debris.

Thick black, toxic smoke from burning tires and debris fills the air as government snipers armed with M-16 rifles attempt to pick off protesters one by one.

Many of the Thai troops and officers now facing the Red Shirts were trained in conventional warfare by the U.S. military.

"The military officers fight with conventional methods, while the opposing elements fight outside the rules," said Gen. Watanachai Chaimuanwong, a national security adviser to a former military regime installed after a 2006 coup.

"What we need here is a new kind of thinking for the situation we are dealing with now," he said.

Red Shirt leaders have called for the United Nations to broker a settlement between them and the Thai government under the condition that the government agrees to a cease fire and a pull-back of troops. The Associated Press reported that government spokesman, Panitan Wattanayagorn, said a troop pull-back was not necessary, because the troops were "not using weapons to crack down on civilians."

The Bangkok Post's front-page headline on Saturday described the city as a "War Zone." On Sunday, it said this Southeast Asian capital was teetering on "the Edge of Anarchy."

3 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

Rory Cripps

at 06:19 on May 17th, 2010

Isn't it amazing that a couple of hundred Thai citizens can mess with and frustrate the Thai army for two months and hold it at bay armed with only slingshots behind makeshift barriers of burning tires and garbage bags?

This begs the question: What are millions of Americans armed with sophisticated weapons which are in many cases just as lethal as military weapons capable of doing if the U.S. government continues to piss them off? What the Red Shirts are doing with primitive weapons and materials should be instructive to those who seem to think that the U.S. government has the capability and weaponry to easily put down an armed revolution. Moreover, there are vastly more (millions) pissed off American gun owners than there are American military personnel. Food for thought . . . .

Amy Judd

at 06:59 on May 17th, 2010

Good story, but what a terrible situation.

Rory Cripps

at 07:16 on May 17th, 2010

Amy: Thanks! I've got a homey living over there, but it doesn't seem to phase him. HA!

Amy Judd

at 07:29 on May 17th, 2010

Well that's good - my friend had to cancel her trip there because of this; her and her husband were not sure if they should go or not and in the end decided to go somewhere else, it's too bad really.

Rory Cripps

at 07:32 on May 17th, 2010

Amy: My friend (a former attorney) teaches English to Thai law students. I guess that he's been living there for so long that he's used to it by now. Either that or he's hitting the Vodka pretty good! LOL!