Anti-junta demonstrators march to army headquarters in Bangkok

[struggle4progress]

Source: People's Daily

Thousands of anti-junta demonstrators began a mass march Saturday afternoon towards the Army Headquarters in central Bangkok, which houses the military Council for National Security (CNS), calling the CNS to step down.

The march, led by the group Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD), started from Sanam Luang (or Royal Field square) in early afternoon under the burning sun and reached the Democratic Monument by 2:30 p.m. local time (0730GMT).

The demonstrators planned to march to the Army Headquarters, where the head office of the CNS, which led the Sept. 19 military coup last year that ousted then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is located.

More than 1,000 security officers were stationed around the Army Headquarters on Rachadamneon Road, a main avenue in central Bangkok. ~snip~



Read more: http://english.people.com.cn/200706/24/eng20070624_387082.html

[OregonBlue]

1. These are Pro-Taksin people. Taksin and his whole family fleeced the Thai Government out of millions

if not billions of dollars. They are corrupt to the core. He has been indicted and dares not return to Thailand or he will be arrested. Yes, it is a military coup and that's never good but someone had to do something. They were stealing the country blind and not even trying to cover it up.

They bought land dirt cheap, then sold the land to the government to build a new airport. They paid no taxes on any of the income. The new airport is a disaster, crumbling runways, escalators don't work, the list goes on and on. Of course, they hired their own contractors for the work. It is so bad they are going to have to move many of the flights back to the old airport. He bought up telecommunications companies and then sold telecommunications services to the Burmese government under very lucrative government contracts. Again claimed it was government business and that he and his family owed no taxes on the revenue gained by his company. The list goes on and on.

Taksin by the way is one of Bush and Chaney's best buddies.

[Nikki Stone1]

2. So the OP title should read: Criminal supporters march to army headquarters in Bangkok

?

[struggle4progress]

3. The coup prevented scheduled elections from being held

Thai coup leader delays elections for a year
Updated 9/20/2006 7:58 PM ET

~snip~ After intensifying street protests in January and February, Thaksin scheduled a snap election for April 2, hoping to win another popular mandate and silence his critics.

The opposition staged a boycott. Thai courts jailed three election commissioners accused of favoring Thaksin's political party and annulled the election as undemocratic and unconstitutional. New elections had been scheduled for October or November. ~snip~

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-09-19-thailand_x.htm



Thailand's military has seized power from Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra

~snip~ In a bid to end the protests, Mr Thaksin called a snap election for April 2. ~snip~

A partial count later showed Mr Thaksin's party won a majority of ballots, but the strong protest vote led Mr Thaksin to announce he would step down after a new parliament was convened.

The constitutional court later ruled the election was unconstitutional and that a new poll should be held. ~snip~

Elections were initially set down for October 15, but then postponed until late November after several election commissioners were convicted of illegally aiding Mr Thaksin in the April polls. ~snip~

http://australianetwork.com/news/infocus/s1745603.htm

[struggle4progress]

4. Thailand: Coup Threatens Human Rights (HRW Sept 06)

(New York, September 19, 2006) – Military forces responsible for a coup d’etat in Thailand today should immediately restore fundamental human rights and protect those exercising their rights to free expression, association and assembly, Human Rights Watch said today. ~snip~

More than 300 community radio stations in Thailand’s northern provinces, Thaksin’s political stronghold, were closed down, and at least 10 anti-coup websites have been taken off the internet. ~snip~

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/09/19/thaila14221.htm


Thailand: Coup Leaders Must Restore Fundamental Rights
Rescind Martial Law, Hand Power Back to Civilian Government

~snip~ Martial law was announced on September 19 immediately after the coup. After dissolving the Parliament, Senate and the Constitutional Court, the coup leaders announced that political gatherings of more than five people would be banned, with violators subject to six months imprisonment. Existing political parties and local administrative organizations were ordered not to hold any political activities or assemblies. ~snip~

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/10/03/thaila14304.htm


Thailand: Military-Backed Government Censors Internet

Blocking Cyber Dissidents Obstructs Return to Democracy

(New York, May 24, 2007) – Thailand’s military-backed government is undermining free political debate and delaying the return to democracy by barring access to many political websites, Human Rights Watch said today. ~snip~

http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/05/23/thaila15996.htm

[struggle4progress]

5. Thai protestors call for fresh elections

Saturday, June 23, 2007

In the latest in a series of protest marches in Thailand, 6 000 demonstrators have taken to the streets to demand the end of the country's military junta and the implementation of fresh elections.

~snip~ Protesters have taken to the streets every night this month to demand the junta's resignation, sometimes attracting as many as 15,000 people.

Pro-democracy activists, anti-poverty campaigners and Buddhist monks have staged their own protests against the junta in recent months. ~snip~

http://www.france24.com/france24Public/en/news/world/20070623-thailand-protests-rally-junta-elections.html

[originalpckelly]

7. Elections, ha! They don't need no stinkin' elections!

A small group of armed people is always better than a government elected democratically by an intelligent electorate! :sarcasm:

[OregonBlue]

8. Please note these articles refer to 6,000? 15,000? pro-democracy protesters. Please also note that

the anti-Taksin demonstrations were 250,000, 300,000 in the streets insisting he be ousted. The problem with elections is that Taksin and his cronies have so much money, they have been buying the vote. Taksin gave lots of money to poor farmers who have then supported him. That is the only thing he has done that was good for the country.

I agree that they need elections but what are you gonna do when the obscenely rich can and will pay the very poor to vote for them? It's not always as black and white as people here suppose.

It's a difficult time for Thailand. The King will probably be called upon to make the final decision. He is the ultimate decider. He is smart and savvy. Hopefully he will step in if things continue to deteriorate.

[struggle4progress]

9. A monarchist, eh?

[originalpckelly]

6. Be ware of those claiming to do something in the name of the people, yet exclude the people...

or deceive them into believing that they must hand over power to a select few for their safety.

[struggle4progress]

10. Huge protest presaged over security bill

ANUCHA CHAROENPO

~snip~ Rights advocates, academics and civic representatives said yesterday the bill would undermine basic human rights if it is passed into law. ~snip~

It has come under a barrage of criticism for the wide-ranging powers it gives to the director of the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), a position held by the army commander-in-chief.

The director is empowered to put all state authorities under Isoc's authority if he deems there is a major security threat which needs to be brought under control as fast as possible.

The Isoc chief could also order the arrest of security suspects, put them in detention, question them and have their houses searched and their assets seized without court approval. ~snip~

http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/26Jun2007_news11.php