Thai protesters defy evacuation deadline
By the CNN Wire Staff
May 17, 2010 — Updated 0948 GMT (1748 HKT)
Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) — About 5,000 protesters remained on the streets in downtown Bangkok in defiance of a government deadline to evacuate the area on another day of violent unrest in the Thai capital.
At least 35 people have died since Thursday, including a key key anti-government leader who was wounded by a sniper's bullet last week.
Maj. Gen. Khattiya Sawasdipol — a renegade general better known as Seh Daeng, which means Red Commander — died at 9:20 a.m. Monday (10:20 p.m. Sunday ET), Vachira Hospital officials told CNN.
An airplane circling the demonstration area and a televised warning broadcast multiple times Monday ordered protesters to vacate the streets immediately.
The announcement said those who did not leave by 3 p.m. (4 a.m. ET) would face a maximum sentence of two year's imprisonment for violating the order. But government officials have not said what they plan to do now that the deadline has passed.
Thousands of anti-government protesters, known as "Red Shirts," have occupied areas of downtown Bangkok for weeks, calling for Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to call new elections. The Red Shirts support former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 bloodless military coup.
Eleven people were killed in sporadic fighting throughout Sunday and overnight, while at least 240 people have been injured since Thursday. At least one of the fatalities on Sunday was a soldier, the Erawan Emergency Center said Monday.
Members of a radical faction that Khattiya headed told CNN they observed a three-minute silence when his death was announced Monday. Some were in tears as they described him. But it was unclear whether his death would spark more violence or dampen their resolve.
Phil Robertson, deputy director of the Asia division of Human Rights Watch, called on militant groups among the anti-government protesters to stop using violence, and calling on the government to follow U.N. principles on use of force and firearms. He said violence in densely populated neighborhoods is placing innocent civilians at risk.
"We're very concerned about these rapidly climbing casualties," Robertson told CNN. "We're very concerned that both of the sides, both the army and the Red Shirts, are in denial and digging in, and we think this is very dangerous."
But neither side showed signs of pulling back Monday, as black plumes of smoke filled the air and the sound of gunshots continued to echo through the capital's streets.
The government ordered schools and offices closed Monday and Tuesday "in order to ensure the safety of the public" after the protests paralyzed the city center.
The government's television announcement said the area had become dangerous "because terrorists are trying to cause injuries and deaths in the area."
The threat of violence silenced normally bustling streets, trapping people in their homes and shutting down offices, schools and shopping centers.
A spokesman for the Royal Thai Police said a group of doctors were traveling to a Buddhist temple Monday to provide medical care to women and children who have taken shelter there.
Supatra Jenstitvong-Assavasukee said the violence has forced her manufacturing and trade business to move meetings with clients to the outskirts of the city, shut down her son's school and stopped her from shopping downtown.
"Everyone hopes for it to be over really soon. It's really destroying a lot of things," she said.
Maj. Gen. Khattiya Sawasdipol — a renegade general better known as Seh Daeng, which means Red Commander — died at 9:20 a.m. Monday (10:20 p.m. Sunday ET), Vachira Hospital officials told CNN.
An airplane circling the demonstration area and a televised warning broadcast multiple times Monday ordered protesters to vacate the streets immediately.
The announcement said those who did not leave by 3 p.m. (4 a.m. ET) would face a maximum sentence of two year's imprisonment for violating the order. But government officials have not said what they plan to do now that the deadline has passed.
Thousands of anti-government protesters, known as "Red Shirts," have occupied areas of downtown Bangkok for weeks, calling for Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to call new elections. The Red Shirts support former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 bloodless military coup.
Eleven people were killed in sporadic fighting throughout Sunday and overnight, while at least 240 people have been injured since Thursday. At least one of the fatalities on Sunday was a soldier, the Erawan Emergency Center said Monday.
Members of a radical faction that Khattiya headed told CNN they observed a three-minute silence when his death was announced Monday. Some were in tears as they described him. But it was unclear whether his death would spark more violence or dampen their resolve.
Phil Robertson, deputy director of the Asia division of Human Rights Watch, called on militant groups among the anti-government protesters to stop using violence, and calling on the government to follow U.N. principles on use of force and firearms. He said violence in densely populated neighborhoods is placing innocent civilians at risk.
"We're very concerned about these rapidly climbing casualties," Robertson told CNN. "We're very concerned that both of the sides, both the army and the Red Shirts, are in denial and digging in, and we think this is very dangerous."
But neither side showed signs of pulling back Monday, as black plumes of smoke filled the air and the sound of gunshots continued to echo through the capital's streets.
The government ordered schools and offices closed Monday and Tuesday "in order to ensure the safety of the public" after the protests paralyzed the city center.
The government's television announcement said the area had become dangerous "because terrorists are trying to cause injuries and deaths in the area."
The threat of violence silenced normally bustling streets, trapping people in their homes and shutting down offices, schools and shopping centers.
A spokesman for the Royal Thai Police said a group of doctors were traveling to a Buddhist temple Monday to provide medical care to women and children who have taken shelter there.
Supatra Jenstitvong-Assavasukee said the violence has forced her manufacturing and trade business to move meetings with clients to the outskirts of the city, shut down her son's school and stopped her from shopping downtown.
"Everyone hopes for it to be over really soon. It's really destroying a lot of things," she said.
Beth Saengow, a school administrator who lives in Bangkok, said it seems like the violence is escalating.
"Usually Thailand is a peaceful country … I'm sure it will affect the tourism. I'm just worried about the economy," she said.
At least nine international embassies in Bangkok — the U.S., British, Belgian, Canadian, German, Japanese, New Zealand, Swedish and Australian embassies — said they will remain closed until Tuesday at the earliest as a result of the clashes.
The anti-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), also known as the Red Shirts, has said it was willing to negotiate an end to the unrest with United Nations mediators if troops move out of the area where protesters have amassed by the thousands for weeks.
"Usually Thailand is a peaceful country … I'm sure it will affect the tourism. I'm just worried about the economy," she said.
At least nine international embassies in Bangkok — the U.S., British, Belgian, Canadian, German, Japanese, New Zealand, Swedish and Australian embassies — said they will remain closed until Tuesday at the earliest as a result of the clashes.
The anti-government United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), also known as the Red Shirts, has said it was willing to negotiate an end to the unrest with United Nations mediators if troops move out of the area where protesters have amassed by the thousands for weeks.
What are the protests about?
However, government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told reporters the Thai government has a policy of not allowing organizations to intervene in its internal affairs and can resolve its own problems.
The government has declared a state of emergency in 22 provinces along with the Bangkok metropolitan area, Panitan said. It has also banned financial transactions with 106 companies and individuals over the protests, he said.
"The government has been under pressure to be more decisive in its action," a senior Thai government official told CNN. "We have been showing patience and restraint." That, he said, has upset those who want the government to take action against the protesters.
However, government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told reporters the Thai government has a policy of not allowing organizations to intervene in its internal affairs and can resolve its own problems.
The government has declared a state of emergency in 22 provinces along with the Bangkok metropolitan area, Panitan said. It has also banned financial transactions with 106 companies and individuals over the protests, he said.
"The government has been under pressure to be more decisive in its action," a senior Thai government official told CNN. "We have been showing patience and restraint." That, he said, has upset those who want the government to take action against the protesters.
CNN's Zain Verjee, Sara Sidner, Dan Rivers and Kocha Olarn contributed to this report.
CNN รายงานผู้บริสุทธิ์ตกเป็นเป้าหมายการโจมตี
แดน ริเวอร์ ผู้สื่อข่าว CNN ประจำประเทศไทย
รายงานสถานการณ์ล่าสุดในกรุงเทพ
ดังภาพที่ปรากฏในวีดีโอ โดยมีเนื้อหาดังต่อไปนี้
นี่คือถนนสายหลักสายหนึ่งของกรุงเทพ ซึ่งขณะนี้กลายเป็นถนนที่อันตรายที่สุด โดยกลุ่มผู้ประท้วงมีเพียงแค่หนังสติ๊ก และดอกไม้ไฟ โดยดอกไม้ไฟเหล่านี้จะถูกโยนสู่ถนนเพื่อสร้างเสียงดังคล้ายเสียงปืน แต่จริงๆ เป็นเพียงแค่ประทัด ซึ่งประทัดเหล่านี้โยนเข้าใส่ทหารที่อยู่ไม่ไกลจากนี้
ในขณะที่ประชาชนที่อาศัยอยู่บนถนนเส้นนี้รวมถึงผู้ชุมนุมบางส่วนพยายามซ่อนตัวอยู่ในตรอกซอกซอย แต่ยังมีผู้ที่ได้รับฝึกทหารบางส่วนสวมชุดดำพยายามมองหาที่ตั้งของเหล่าทหาร ในขณะที่ทหารมีหน่วยพลแม่นปืน รวมถึงมีกล้องที่ใช้ส่องเพื่อหาเป้าหมายที่จะยิง
ซึ่งตามที่ประกาศมานั้นทหารจะต้องยิงผู้ก่อการร้ายที่ครอบครองอาวุธและปองร้ายเจ้าหน้าที่เท่านั้น แต่ปรากฏว่ามีคนบริสุทธิ์หลายคนถูกยิงจากทหาร เช่น อาสาสมัครที่ถูกยิงจนเสียชีวิตที่พยายามช่วยเหลือผู้ได้รับบาดเจ็บ ซึ่งไม่รู้ว่าใครเป็นคนยิง
แต่ในขณะที่บางพื้นที่ ทหารถูกลอบโจมตีอย่างต่อเนื่อง ซึ่งจะมีรถพยาบาลของทหารเข้าไปช่วยเหลือผู้บาดเจ็บ ในขณะที่เสียงปืนจากสองฝั่งยังคงดังต่อเนื่อง
นี่เป็นภาพเหตุการณ์เมื่อวันที่ 10 เมษายน ที่รัฐบาลกล่าวว่ามีกลุ่มก่อร้ายติดอาวุธในกลุ่มผู้ชุมนุม ที่พยายามก่อให้เกิดสงครามกลางเมือง ในขณะที่บริเวณการชุมนุมหลัก แกนนำยืนยันว่าการชุมนุมนั้น เป็นการชุมนุมที่สงบ สันติ ปราศจากอาวุธ
นายแพทย์เหวง โตจิราการ แกนนำผู้ชุมนุมกล่าวว่า ไม่มีอาวุธในพื้นที่ชุมนุม ขณะนี้มีการเจรจาในทางลับกับรัฐบาลเพื่อให้หยุดยิง ขณะเดียวกันได้เรียกร้องให้องค์การสหประชาชาติ ส่งกองกำลังรักษาสันติภาพเข้ามาในประเทศไทยภายใน 24 ชั่วโมงเพื่อให้รัฐบาลหยุดยิง ซึ่งได้รับการปฏิเสธจากรัฐบาล โดยรัฐบาลบอกว่ากลุ่มเสื้อแดงเป็นผู้ก่อให้เกิดความรุนแรง
ขณะนี้นายโรเบิร์ต อัมสเตอร์ดัม ทนายความของอดีตนายกรัฐมนตรีทักษิณ ชินวัตร ได้ลงพื้นที่เพื่อหาข้อมูลเกี่ยวกับการลอบสังหาร การลอบยิงผู้บริสุทธิ์ในพื้นที่ชุมนุม ซึ่งเป็นการกระทำที่ผิดกฎหมาย
แม้ว่ารัฐบาลจะห้ามการขนเสบียงเข้ามาในพื้นที่ชุมนุม แต่ก็ยังมีอาหารให้กับผู้ร่วมชุมนุมอย่างต่อเนื่อง ในขณะที่ซุเปอร์มาร์เก็ตที่ไม่ห่างออกไปนั้น มีประชาชนออกมาซื้อของเป็นจำนวนมาก รวมทั้งชาวต่างชาติที่อาศัยในประเทศไทย ที่บอกว่าเหมือนกับพายุเฮอริเคนกำลังเข้า ไม่รู้ว่าร้านจะเปิดหรือไม่วันพรุ่งนี้ เลยมาซื้อของไว้ก่อน
ไม่เพียงแต่พื้นที่ชุมนุมเท่านั้น ความรุนแรงและอนาธิปไตยได้แผ่วงกว้างมากขึ้น ส่งผลกระทบอย่างรุนแรงต่อภาพลักษณ์ของประเทศไทยในฐานะสวรรค์ของนักท่องเที่ยวให้หายไปเหมือนกับควันในอากาศ
ที่มา: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/05/17/thailand.protests/index.html?hpt=T1
17 พฤษภาคม 2553 เวลา 22:24 น.
TEERAT
Voice TV Reporter
ธีรัตถ์ รัตนเสวี
The Case Against the International Media’s Report on Thailand, An Opinion
UPDATE : 17 May 2010
This is going to be a long note, but I want my overseas friends to understand what has been happening here in Thailand. You only see scenes of the soldiers shooting or of injured people being carried away on international TV channels for 30 seconds, but never get the lengthy background to the story.
The truth is, the Thai government has been too accommodating by withholding the use of force since the rally started two months ago (with the exception of the April 10th event, when the soldiers were ordered to move in without live weapons and subsequently got slaughtered by unknown gunmen shooting from the 'Red Shirt' protesters).
The majority of us support the government in dealing with the terrorists hidden amongst the protesters. It held talks with the rally leaders and offered peaceful solutions to them 10 days ago. The Prime Minister publicly urged the protesters to disperse for fear of violence created by the terrorists, but the plan wasn't accepted. It was, therefore, time to block food and water supplies entering the center of the protest. If the protesters were peaceful, they wouldn't rush out to throw rocks, firecrackers, and even bombs at the soldiers' barricades — thus, causing the soldiers to defend themselves by firing rubber bullets and live rounds.
It has been very frustrating for law-abiding citizens of Bangkok — we even voiced our dissatisfaction at the government for its failure to uphold the laws. The situation was like Bangkok was being held for ransom. A lot of businesses have been affected because the protesters are right in the middle of the major commercial area.
Again, think what your government would do if there was a large group of protesters blocking all traffic at Orchard Road in Singapore; Times Square in NYC; Ginza in Tokyo; or Knightsbridge in London for two months. They set up barricades to search through personal belongings of everyone travelling through the area. Also think what your governments would do if those protesters invaded a nearby hospital, causing doctors and nurses to evacuate patients — some of whom were newborn babies in incubators and those in ICU — to other hospitals. Most important of all, think what your governments would do if the protesters were found to have large stockpiles of M79 grenades, M16's and AK47 assault rifles.
Do you think your government would be as tolerant as the Thai government?
Reungvit Nandhabiwat
Business owner,
Bangkok, Thailand
15 May 2010
Open Letter to CNN International
รายงานข่าวจากไทยของคุณไม่น่าเชื่อถือ
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=390511677967&id=277701868&ref=mf
Today at 4:19pm
Dear Sirs/Madams,
Recently, CNN Thailand Correspondents Dan Rivers and Sarah Snider have made me seriously reconsider your agency as a source for reliable and accurate unbiased news. As of this writing, over thousands of CNN’s viewers have already begun to question the accuracy and dependability of its reporting as regards events in Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq, Iran, etc., in addition to Bangkok.
As a first-rate global news agency, CNN has an inherent professional duty to deliver all sides of the truth to the global public who have faithfully and sincerely placed their trust and reliance in you. Your news network, by its longtime transnational presence and extensive reach, has been put in a position of trust and care; CNN’s journalists, reporters, and researchers have a collective responsibility to follow the journalist's code and ethics to deliver and present facts from all facets of the story, not merely one-sided, shallow and sensational half-truths. The magnitude of harm or potential extent of damage that erroneous and fallacious news reporting can cause to (and exacerbate), not only a country’s internal state of affairs, economic well-being, and general international perception, but also the real lives and livelihood of the innocent and voiceless people of that nation, is enormous. CNN should not negligently discard its duty of care to the international populace by reporting single-sided or unverified facts and distorted truths drawn from superficial research, or display/distribute biased images which capture only one side of the actual event.
Mr. Rivers and Ms. Snider have NOT done their best under these life-threatening circumstances because many other foreign correspondents have done better. All of Mr. Rivers and Ms. Sniders' quotes and statements seem to have been solely taken from the anti-government protest leaders or their followers/sympathizers. Yet, all details about the government’s position have come from secondary resources. No direct interviews with government officials have been shown; no interviews or witness statements from ordinary Bangkok residents or civilians unaffiliated with the protesters, particularly those who have been harassed by or suffered at the hands of the protesters, have been circulated.
Why the discrepancy in source of information? Why the failure to report all of the government’s previous numerous attempts to negotiate or invitations for protesters to go home? Why no broadcasts shown of the myriad ways the red protesters have terrorized and harmed innocent civilians by burning their shops, enclosing burning tyres around apartment buildings, shooting glass marbles at civilians from high altitudes, attacking civilians in their cars, and worst of all, obstructing paramedics and ambulances carrying civilians injured by M79 grenade blasts during the Silom incident of April 24, 2010, thereby resulting in the sole civilian casualty? The entire timeline of events that have forced the government to take this difficult stance has been hugely and callously ignored in deference to the red ‘underdogs’.
Mr. Rivers and Ms. Snider’s choice of sensational vocabulary and terminology in every newscast or news report, and choice of images to broadcast, has resulted in law-abiding soldiers and the heavily-pressured Thai government being painted in a negative, harsh, and oppressive light, whereas the genuinely violent and law-breaking arm of the anti-government protesters – who are directly responsible for overt acts of aggression not only against armed soldiers but also against helpless, unarmed civilians and law-abiding apolitical residents of this once blooming metropolis (and whose actions under American law would by now be classified as terrorist activities) – are portrayed as righteous freedom fighters deserving of worldwide sympathy and support. This has mislead the various international Human Rights watchdogs to believe the Thai government are sending trigger-happy soldiers out to ruthlessly murder unarmed civilians without just cause.
As a current resident of "war zone" Bangkok who has experienced the effect of the Red protests first hand and is living in a state of constant terror and anxiety as to whether her family, friends, and home would get bombed or attacked by the hardcore anti-government vigilantes/paramilitary forces – I appeal to CNN's professional integrity to critically investigate and scrutinize the misinformed news reporting of your above-named correspondents. If they are incapable of obtaining genuine, authentic facts from any other source except the Red Protest leaders and red-sympathizing Thai translators or acquaintances, or from fellow non-Thai-speaking journalists who are similarly ignorant of Thai language, culture, history, and society, then perhaps CNN should consider reassigning field correspondents to Thailand.
I implore and urge you to please take serious action to correct or reverse the grave injustice that has been done to the Thai nation, her government, and the majority of law-abiding Thai citizens and expatriate residents by having endorsed and widely circulated poorly researched and misrepresented news coverage of the current ongoing political unrest and escalating violence in Thailand.
Copies of this open letter have also been distributed to other local as well as international news media and social networks for public information. Please feel free to contact me further should you require any additional concrete and reputable evidence in substantiation and corroboration of my complaints and claims stated hereinabove.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
Napas Na Pombejra, B.A., LL.B. (Lond.)
Bangkok, Thailand
May 17, 2010
Addendum
Enclosed herewith for your attention and information some examples of other quality international news bulletins by respectable foreign journalists so you may assess at your leisure the sub-par quality and misleading nature of Mr. Rivers and Ms. Sniders' journalism:
1. New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/world/asia/16thai.html
2. Fox News/Associated Press:
(i) http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/05/16/chaos-continues-thailand-govt-rejects-talks-continues-crackdown-killed/
(ii) http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/05/17/thai-red-shirt-general-dies-chaos-continues/
3. Global Post: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/thailand/100514/thailand-protests-bangkok
4. NHK: http://www.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/17_15.html
5. Al Jazeera: http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/listeningpost/2010/04/2010423171540981286.html
6. Deutsche Welle (English media in Germany):
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5575254,00.html
7. Local English daily newspaper’s chronology of events on Day 3 of “War in Bangkok”:
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/05/17/politics/What-went-down-30129533.html
Youtube Videos, images, articles showing what CNN has failed to circulate:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_xg0l6-oHY
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rGqZDvRa_U
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3tfBBSVJdU
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hmSPbugDAA
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngc48En96NU
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRi6m7QG06M
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aws3ZMXzNjs
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giuEOQ62n6E
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy3a73Y6fBg
10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLuffqnszIY
11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqnXV2ltUlE
12. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXMmQReCKVg
13. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWN7zYV7_Bo
14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=005jYjmEAVE
15. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioOrreuQ94c
16. http://tweetphoto.com/22647514
17. http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/37395/put-an-end-to-this-rebellion?awesm=fbshare.me_AMdZh
18. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=333752&id=118996168116475
19. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El-zPySi9cQ
20. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzcVcHokaVM
21. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agLBIWDKWkI
22. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34hSEPOC71g
23. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuAQyc5d1HY
24. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv9Hpfb6gNE
25. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7yAVunxw1g
26. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=328250&o=all&op=1&view=all&subj=122351831122683&aid=-1&id=1785951766
27. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5959829&o=all&op=1&view=all&subj=122351831122683&aid=-1&id=506055218
28. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5960844&o=all&op=1&view=all&subj=122351831122683&aid=-1&id=506055218
29. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8684405.stm
30. http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=428905841067&ref=mf