Thai PM declares state of emergency in Bangkok

by Rachel Nixon | September 1, 2008 at 04:31 pm

493 views | 16 Recommendations | 10 comments

After clashes overnight in which one person died, Thai PM Samak Sundaravej has declared a state of emergency in Bangkok.

The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) took to the streets overnight and forced access to government buildings.

This is a developing story. If you have information to add, please do so in the comments. Thanks.

BANGKOK, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Thailand's prime minister declared a state of emergency in the capital Bangkok on Tuesday after long-running anti-government protests and violent clashes overnight, Thai radio said.

Samak Sundaravej also put the army commander in charge of keeping order in the capital, said the announcement from the prime minister read on Thai radio.

In addition, gatherings of more than five people have been banned.

The announcement said that the emergency decree gave the army chief, General Anupong Paojinda, power to break up any gathering and to force people to leave any location.

"By invoking this emergency decree, Anupong can ban people from entering any specific place and can evacuate people from any specific place," the announcement said.

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lgal3824

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 17:03 on September 1st, 2008

Rachel Nixon, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Update:

BANGKOK: The Thai government declared a state of emergency in Bangkok on Tuesday after a clash between pro-government and anti-government groups that killed at least one person and injured dozens more.

The violence escalated a confrontation between the government and protesters who have occupied the grounds of the prime minssters office for a week.

The outburst erupted after the protests were broadened Tuesday by the announcement of job actions that would affect utilities and transportation. Hundreds of soldiers were deployed in the streets to reinforce the police.

The episode was the first serious violence in what has become a stubborn class struggle between the Thai middle class and a beleaguered government backed by a business and financial elite acting in the name of Thailand's poor.

Supporters of the government pushed through a police line and battled protesters in a melee that involved sticks and clubs and firearms. Among the injured, four were in serious condition, including two with gunshot wounds, The Associated Press reported.

Rachel Nixon

at 17:06 on September 1st, 2008

Thanks for the update.

Rhonda J Mangus

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 17:25 on September 1st, 2008

Rachel Nixon, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Paschen

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 17:47 on September 1st, 2008

Rachel Nixon, I like this story. It's good stuff.

I do not like the sound of this.

Michael LaPalme

at 21:54 on September 1st, 2008

PAD protesters and Police face off at the Makkawan Bridge this past Friday. The PAD called for the resignation of the governments of Thaksin Shinawatra and Samak Sundaravej.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlapalme/sets/72157605347402600/detail/

Michael LaPalme has contributed a photo to this story.

Sanjay Jha

at 23:04 on September 1st, 2008

There are reports of clashes today morning in the capital Bangkok.

The pool of congealed blood on the doorstep of the forestry department and the spent bullet casings on the pavement a few yards away said it all -- the struggle for control of Thailand had turned nasty.

The clash early Tuesday morning between pro- and anti-government protesters only lasted a few minutes but left Rajdamnoen Avenue, a stately eight-lane thoroughfare cutting through Bangkok's old town, strewn with rocks, broken glass and sticks.

Blood spattered the pavement outside the regional headquarters of the United Nations, where a line of 400 riot police and the same number of soldiers -- armed only with shields and batons -- kept the two warring sides 100 metres apart.

One man was killed and at least 34 injured, two with gunshot wounds, before police managed to separate the red-shirted and pro-government Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship (DAAD) from the yellow-shirted People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

Pumped-up protesters on each side accused the other of opening fire.

Although a welcome relief for the beleaguered police, the deployment of troops, albeit unarmed, raises the spectre of the military seizing control less than two years after the 2006 coup against then-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The violence and subsequent declaration of emergency rule, which gives the army control of internal security, also rekindled memories of 1992, when the soldiers fired on massive pro-democracy crowds, killing dozens.

Despite its name, the PAD, which has been occupying the Government House compound for the last week to try to oust elected Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, wants a new constitution that will ensure that 70 percent of MPs are appointed.

Wearing yellow in honour of revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, they accuse Samak of being an illegitimate proxy for Thaksin and harbouring republican ideas -- a charge vigorously denied.

"We are here to follow democracy, because those people want a government that is only 30 percent elected. What democracy is that?" DAAD supporter Kusol said. He did not give his last name.

"Thaksin is the best politician we've ever seen. He can make the economy grow and make sure everybody has a job," he said.

rumana husain

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 23:36 on September 1st, 2008

Rachel Nixon, I like this story. It's good stuff.

Barry Artiste

at 04:40 on September 2nd, 2008

http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=130270
Countries issue travel advisory Overseas office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand
(TAT) revealed that Britain, Australia, Canada, South Korea and Japan have issued a travel advisory telling their citizens to be careful while traveling to Thailand.

Porntip Hirunket, secretary-general of the Tourism Council of Thailand, said the council has issued a statement calling for the government and the PAD to exercise restraint as the situation has severely affected tourism industry.

Thai PM Samak Sundaravej on Bangkok's state of emergency

Clashes on the streets of Bangkok
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7593128.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7593110.stm

gerrypopplestone

flagged this story as Good Stuff

at 07:36 on September 2nd, 2008

Rachel Nixon, I like this story. It's good stuff. Sundaravej is between a 'rock and a hard place'. He has to tread carefully so as not to risk another coup. But equally the PAD are often stupid. They are intent on bringing him down but they dont have a clear idea of where to go after that. And they want a largely appointed parliament - appointed probably by them. This is the crazy point of their kind of pseudo-democratic posturing. Sorry to be so strong in my condemnation but they are sore because they cant gain power through the ballot box. I dont like the PM; he has a shady past but I think they ought to campaign to win votes rather than try these street measures which are not going to go anywhere positive.