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Tension in the Northeast

Yuttapong Kumnodnae Udon Thani province is tense amid worries of a possible confrontation between anti- and pro-government camps when Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej and his ministers attend a mobile cabinet meeting in the province on Tuesday.

At least 20,000 people are expected to turn up to show support for Mr Samak and his government.

Local supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and a progovernment group clashed in Udon Thani on July 24, leaving several people injured.

Kwanchai Praipana, leader of a progovernment group in Udon Thani, on Sunday spoke on local radio, encouraging people to gather at the radio station Monday to prepare for a rally to support the government.

He asked for 2,000 supporters to gather at Udon Thani airport to prevent PAD supporters arriving on the day of the cabinet meeting.

Charoen Mookhachonphan, PAD leader in Udon Thani, said the group's local chapter would gather to oppose the cabinet meeting.

He said the PAD protesters would wear black in a show of protest.

Local police will deploy from all stations to guard against possible violence, said Pol Maj-Gen Permsak Pharadornsak, the provincial police chief.

A source in the People Power party said northeastern MPs and core leaders from the ruling party were trying to make sure their supporters turn up and rally behind the embattled government.

The source said 10 MPs from the province and local officials were organising at least 20,000 people to welcome Mr Samak.

This would show that people in the provinces, particularly in the Northeast which is the largest support base of the PPP, still like the government and disagree with the continuiing antigovernment protest by the PAD, the source said.

At the same time, people in major cities in the Northeast will turn up at various sites in their respective provinces to show support for the government on that day, the source said.

A senior provincial official had tried to dissuade people in the government from holding the cabinet meeting in the province, but to no avail.

Mobile medical units will also be on standby in case of violence, the official said.

Core leaders of the pro-government United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) are already in the province to prepare measures to deal with PAD supporters who might turn up to disrupt the meeting.

PAD core leader Chamlong Srimuang said it is up to local supporters of the alliance to decide whether to hold rallies against the government.

Sawat Theerarattananukulchai, president of the provincial chamber of commerce, said he was surprised that the private sector was not invited to attend the mobile cabinet meeting, as in the past.

Thepthai Senpong, assistant secretary-general of the Democrat party, said the mobile cabinet meeting may be a deliberate attempt by the government to mobilise supporters from the provinces and pit them against the PAD in Bangkok.

About 300 supporters of the government gathered Sunday in downtown Ubon Ratchathani in a show of support for Mr Samak and to criticise the PAD.

Chuwit Pitakpornpallop, an Ubon Ratchathani MP for the PPP, said antiPAD groups in many provinces plan to rally outside provincial halls for three days.

"If the PAD refuses to vacate Government House, supporters of the government will resort to retaliatory measures,'' Mr Chuwit said.

bangkokpost.net

__________________
"Keeping quiet while monks and other peaceful protesters are murdered and jailed is not evidence of constructive engagement." - Arvind Ganesan, Human Rights Watch.

"I think...I think it's in my basement. Let me go upstairs and check" - M.C. Escher

Rigger

Yeh they are offering people in our village 500 baht to go with free food and a place to stay

Dalton

^ Did you go ???

Rattanaburi

I like the use of the word 'clashed' to describe the attack on the PAD people in the park in July. It was an attack.

The PAD up there are pretty brave to try to gather again. I thought I heard on ASTV that this people gathering for the PAD aren't going to wear yellow as before as that made them easy targets of the murderous nitwits driven by the PPP.

Rigger

I was told the police and the army have been told to stay away and they will let them go at it. So expect a major blood bath

Rattanaburi

^It's possible. It amazes me that Samak would let his people kill each other. I see a worse and worse future for Samak; as the death toll climbs, his own safety is more and more in danger. He should just call a new election or step down. At that point Sondi should become a monk as he said he would.

gjbkk

panama hat

Is it actually a fact that he asked the police and army to stay away or just hearsay and innuendo, oft repeated now?

I would expect them all to wear yellow, foolish not to try to outdo the other in yellow-ness.

English Noodles

Who exactly is supposed to have told the army to stay away? I can think of only one person who has that power, and if it were him, I doubt you would be privy to the information.

keda

Is Samak letting his people kill each other? Looks increasingly like he's handcuffed and has little to do with outcome.

Wouldn't surprise me one bit if the free world press put on their kevlar suits and start pointing at the puppeteer/ess. Maybe that's when the trouble subsides, or real blood begins to flow.

Rattanaburi

Samak could resign or at least call a new election. I don't think his hands are tied. He could also arrest the leaders of the people in the northeast who violently attacked the PAD protestors back in July prior to all the current mess. Samak holding his dream job is worth much more than the lives of a few of the people he is supposedly representing. He's a selfish moron. What does he fear by stepping down? He won't get re-elected? Scew him.

keda

Why should he resign? Certainly not on account of key elements deciding his voters are too dumb to vote, thereby doing the Thai thing by drafting them to bring down a legal government in order to lose not only their vote but those of future generations.

If others are involved that we don't know about, as cyber rumours suggest, then that's an entirely different matter because as we know no Thai gov in recent history has actually had proper control in the running of this democratic country.

Rattanaburi

^I think he should resign because he's an asshole. That's all.

panama hat

If that were the criteria then half the world's leaders would be out of power

Rigger

I could tell you but I would have to kill you

Mid

Udon Thani people rally to show support for Govt
September 8, 2008

Some 1,000 members of a pro-government group rallied behind the Samak Sundaravej administration Monday, on the eve of a mobile Cabinet meeting to be held in the northeastern province today.

The "We Love Udon Thani" group held their rally around Udon Thani provincial hall.

Provincial police beefed up security by deploying 700 officers and said there's no worry about violence through possible clashes between pro and antigovernment supporters but some locals are afraid that wearing the wrong colour shirt could lead to being attacked, however.

The scene at the multi-purpose lawn in front of the provincial hall was filled with people as the government launched a mobile medical clinic and set up booths to offer advise about land and agriculture. Suphot Laowansiri, governor of Udon Thani said the activities provided for local people can be considered as a one stop service.

nationmultimedia.com

Ivor Biggun

They did a similar thing with the locals from my village last year. When they got there they only gave them 200.

baldrick

wear no shirts , problem solved

DrAndy

yes, those yellow ones must be a bit smelly by now

keda