Thread: Suthep threatens to 'shut down' Bangkok afer New Year holidays

PT puts 'shutdown' damage at B200bn
2/01/2014

The People's Democratic Reform Committee’s planned shutdown of Bangkok on Jan 13 could escalate the ecnomic damage caused by the protests to 200 billion baht, up from the 70 billion baht in damage already caused, a member of the Pheu Thai Party’s economic team claimed on Thursday.

Pichai Naripthaphan said the PDRC city seizure would drag the country’s accountability down to the lowest level and further reduce already-affected foreign investment, while the economy could tumble down.

He called on Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva to talk with PDRC secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban, an a former Democrat MP powerebroker, and suggest that he cancel his plan to paralyse the capital, as it would cause massive damage to the country.

Mr Pichai last month claimed foreign investors in the Thai stock market had already sold off more than 200 billion baht worth of shares since the protests began. Some of them had decided to move production bases to other countries, he added.

bangkokpost.com

Thai's pro-gov't Red Shirts to deter 'Bangkok shutdown'
January 2, 2014

Thailand's pro-government Red Shirt activists said Thursday they will gather en masse and counter anti- government protesters who have planned to "shut down" the Thai capital on Jan. 13.

Chatuporn Prompand, leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, the official name of the Red Shirt movement, said on Thursday that Red Shirt members will keep Bangkok open as normal while former deputy premier Suthep Thuagsuban, leader of the anti-government protesters, planned to have his followers occupy its major streets, cut off power and water supplies at varied government premises and paralyze road traffic in the inner part of the capital.

The anti-government protesters have continued to press the caretaker government under acting premier Yingluck Shinawatra to step down and to call off the Feb. 2 nationwide polls.

Constituency-based candidates were effectually barred by anti- government protesters from applying in several southern provinces, earlier represented by ex-legislators of the Democrat Party which decided to boycott the election.

Chatuporn said civil war might possibly follow the planned " Bangkok shutdown" and an eventual end to democratic rule, given street unrests orchestrated by Suthep, a former secretary general of the Democrat Party.

He called on all democracy-loving people to join the pro- government Red Shirt members in the fight against undemocratic rule.

"If democratic rule was put to an end, we do not know what could possibly happen. The first month of the year might see a breaking point... We will demonstrate in peaceful fashion, though, " he said.

Former energy minister Pichai Nariptapand, of the caretaker government's Pheu Thai (for Thais) Party, has advised former premier and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva to ask Suthep to give up his "Bangkok shutdown" plan which he said would merely be unlawful and ruinous to the country's economy and tourist industry.

china.org.cn

This whole mess really worries me. It's screwing up my work life as well which affects my pay. Seems like the country is doomed and I feel the same lately due to this. No end in sight and total idiocy going on. Suthep should be arrest and locked up and put in a mental institution but I think Thailand has one mental health facility and its been full for decades now. The insane make up a large swath of that mob in my opinion, sheep led by a total wacko.

^Sad but true.

If the reds do come down en masse there will be a huge bust up - could get very dark.

Originally Posted by Mid

former deputy premier Suthep Thuagsuban, leader of the anti-government protesters, planned to have his followers occupy its major streets, cut off power and water supplies at varied government premises and paralyze road traffic in the inner part of the capital.

Originally Posted by Dream Over

Suthep should be arrest and locked up

Indeed.

Originally Posted by Tom Sawyer

Prayuth knows he's in for some real shit - and could possibly even be in real life threatening trouble as would some of his generals and their business interests. I kinda feel sorry for him in a weird way. If he's being directed to do these things that he knows are nuts, but can't say 'no' - what to do? He should leave Thailand and claim asylum before it's too late.

Prayuth has a VERY easy way to avoid all that shit: set up a commando/task-force to to execute the arrest-warrant against Suthep. If the fvcker resists in a violent way, shoot him down. Game over.

^but they're on the same team, so why would Prayuth do that?

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

but they're on the same team, so why would Prayuth do that?

Jury is still out in this regard. Can't rely on anything said or implied by any of the parties involved.
Norton's 2014 predictions. There will be no "coup". There will be no "civil war". There will be no substantive rewrites of the Thai constitution.
The realization and fear Thais will soon no longer be able to depend on a strong father figure to guide them though rough times is at the core of this current political upheaval. Change is tough but inevitable.
Elections will be held and surprise, surprise candidates with a populist platform will win. If not a Thaksin then somebody else. Just the way it works when folks get to vote.

Originally Posted by sabang

About time, too. Call them out.

remember your outrage when it was suthep and abhisit calling for the Army to intervene when it was the "peaceful" reds demonstrating

you and your likes are so typical as conservative hypocrites,

This time around I can't see Suthep accepting another Thaksin government geared for 2nd February. A double assassination is probably the best solution for the nation and time is running out although my current feeling is that the elections wont proceed until major issues have been agreed between parties. Holding elections imo will only fuel the flames

One might believe Thailand is ahead of the game in suggesting an administration when citizens who are selling their souls also cry out for democracy

Originally Posted by KimDidMeGood

Originally Posted by Tom Sawyer

Prayuth knows he's in for some real shit - and could possibly even be in real life threatening trouble as would some of his generals and their business interests. I kinda feel sorry for him in a weird way. If he's being directed to do these things that he knows are nuts, but can't say 'no' - what to do? He should leave Thailand and claim asylum before it's too late.

Prayuth has a VERY easy way to avoid all that shit: set up a commando/task-force to to execute the arrest-warrant against Suthep. If the fvcker resists in a violent way, shoot him down. Game over.

Suthep continues on his mission as a free man, which testifies there is no hope to save this country from cyclical turmoil.

I ditto those who want him arrested or democratically shot. And might as well off Squarehed as well.

Originally Posted by Butterfly

Originally Posted by sabang

About time, too. Call them out.

remember your outrage when it was suthep and abhisit calling for the Army to intervene when it was the "peaceful" reds demonstrating

you and your likes are so typical as conservative hypocrites,

Indeed.

Cant have the lunatics, be they red or yellow, running the asylum.

The tanks should have been out weeks ago stopping these people disrupting the life of the country, and had they come out earlier when the reds were mouthing off last time, then those deaths would have been prevented.

At the moment the thais are ungovernable by democratic means. They are too corrupt, too feudal and too selfish, and need protecting from their own stupidity.

The army should be the ones to do this, but not surprisingly the army also have their own sordid agenda.

There is no hope for these people, they have brought it all down upon themselves.
If it wasnt for the thais, thailand really could be asias leading light.

They have everything, a fertile rich land, they are geographically well placed, rich in food and natural resources. They have it all on a plate.

But all is not enough for them.
They want even more.

What could possibly go wrong you think? How could they fuck it up so bad?

Govt to prepare Bangkok traffic plan ahead of mass rally
Fri, January 03 2014

Caretaker Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt yesterday mapped out a plan to prepare transport routes for businesses in the event of road blockades during the mega rally threatened by anti-government protesters for January 13.

He instructed his ministry's deputy permanent secretary, Chusak Kewi, to take charge of managing goods transport to Klong Toei Port and Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Chadchart said he would today call a meeting with Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) officials.

He added that part of the plan was to encourage people to use public transport instead of personal vehicles. More public parking areas would be provided for commuters wishing to use mass transit systems such as the BTS Skytrain and the Airport Link.

Caretaker Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan said he had advised Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra that he would take recourse to relevant laws to ensure that the BMA enforces its own regulations against any illegal action by protesters.

Charupong also requested that the BMA support the government's Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (Capo) by providing vehicles, equipment and other resources to help keep the peace in the capital.
He also requested that the BMA remain politically neutral during this conflict.

Furthermore, he instructed that the BMA check all of its security cameras to ensure they function properly, especially at rally sites and routes protesters use, such as the areas around Government House, Parliament and the palaces.

If security officials want to inspect any security cameras, the BMA officials should cooperate.

The BMA was also asked to submit a traffic plan to alleviate the public's plight during congestion caused by the rally. The agency should also provide officials to assist traffic police.

thejakartapost.com

Caretaker Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan said he had advised Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra that he would take recourse to relevant laws to ensure that the BMA enforces its own regulations against any illegal action by protesters.

The stupidity of such a statement is mind boggling.

Thailand in a nutshell, blinkered and in denial.

Originally Posted by KimDidMeGood

Originally Posted by Bettyboo

^but they're on the same team, so why would Prayuth do that?

If Prayuth was a rational player, he would do exactly what I wrote above. That's the path that yields sure gain and the most safety for him. The problem with all those royalist elites is that they have long given up on rationality.

If Prayuth did that he'd be dead - not by the mob, but at the order of Suthep's big boss

Thai protesters say no plan to shut airports
January 3, 2014

Thailand's anti-government protest movement reassured tourists Friday that it would not target the kingdom's airports or public transportation during a planned "shutdown" of Bangkok later this month.

The demonstrators, who are seeking to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and curb her billionaire family’s political dominance, say they will occupy Bangkok from January 13.

"Operation Occupy Bangkok does NOT involve airport closures or the disruption of any mass transport services. Public buses, trains, BTS sky-trains, MRT underground trains, and public boats will operate normally," the protest movement said on its English-language Facebook page.

The demonstrators have vowed to set up protest stages around the capital, prevent government officials from going to work and to cut off power and water to government offices as well as to the residences of the prime minister and her cabinet.

nationmultimedia.com

Originally Posted by Dream Over

This whole mess really worries me. It's screwing up my work life as well which affects my pay. Seems like the country is doomed and I feel the same lately due to this. No end in sight and total idiocy going on. Suthep should be arrest and locked up and put in a mental institution but I think Thailand has one mental health facility and its been full for decades now. The insane make up a large swath of that mob in my opinion, sheep led by a total wacko.

Is that facility: Parliment?

Originally Posted by Mid

Operation Occupy Bangkok does NOT involve airport closures or the disruption of any mass transport services. Public buses, trains, BTS sky-trains, MRT underground trains, and public boats will operate normally,

What a bunch of bull. Looking at the 20 areas they intend to occupy, the entire city will be in gridlock.

Originally Posted by Mid

The People's Democratic Reform Committee’s planned shutdown of Bangkok on Jan 13 could escalate the ecnomic damage caused by the protests to 200 billion baht, up from the 70 billion baht in damage already caused, a member of the Pheu Thai Party’s economic team claimed on Thursday.

200 billion baht?

That's 7800,000,000,000 bowls of Kout Deaw... There's just no way....

Hang on...

Originally Posted by Thormaturge

Originally Posted by Troy

Is Bang Na red enough to be a safe haven?

Thanks to all for keep us updated.....

Once you get out past Ekkamai there isn't really much happening so Bang Na is the same as usual.

Thanks. Been a while before I could get on the internet again...problem with being out in the sticks.

Didn't see any signs of the "Reds" preparing to storm BKK. They may be smart enough to stay well away and wait for the outcome of the proposed election.

I have a very bad feeling about this. Many of you (and I) have been commenting on this since Thaksin was first elected. But this seems like the sakdina/triad and their stooges have really worked this out and are going all out for broke. In other words, they know that there will be a "REAL" popular uprising against them once they evict the elected government, but they don't care. They must be prepared for real bloodshed and that's what really worries me - they know it but don't care - because their special interests trump any of that. It also suggests they think they won't be touched. Incredible.

nothing obvious in media yet but talk locally of Taxi's being rather pissed at the proposed shut down .