Photos courtesy of Gary Jones, British journalist based in Hong Kong who is staying down the street from my hotel.

The Nation online

What went wrong? Probably, nothing was right from the very beginning.

Arisman Pongruangrong and other red-shirt leaders on a wanted list could not be apprehended when they were in full public view in the middle of the city, so what convinced Thai police that they could catch them by storming a hotel that once belonged to Thaksin Shinawatra?

From the embarrassing shambles left in their wake, not only did the police think they could do so – they must have presumed they could do it with one eye closed. When overweight Arisman, who must also be afraid of heights, staged a clumsy cable-descending stunt in front of local and international media from the SC Park Hotel’s third-floor balcony to safety, the humiliation of Thailand’s highly questionable police force was complete.

Not to mention that two senior officers were taken by the red mob from the hotel to the Rajprasong rally site to “guarantee” the escapees’ safe return. How come what was supposed to be a pre-dawn sting operation ended with Arisman staging the escape just before 10am and mobs accompanying all the police targets back to Rajprasong at noon?

Everything was so fishy that Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who around 9am had proudly announced that Arisman and at least a couple of others were now in police custody, lost his cool and virtually everyone on the government side lost patience with his excuses. A probe into what went wrong was pledged, but the damage had been done and half the world was already laughing.

The operation reportedly started at 3am, with stake-out forces stationing themselves near the hotel’s entrances and exits, with a few disguising themselves as guests. Problem was, nobody knew for sure which rooms the targets – Arisman, Suporn Attawong, Payap Panket and Jeng Dokjik – were staying in. The four reportedly arrived at the hotel at around 4am.

Then around 6am another group of officers, purportedly working for an assistant police chief, arrived. One of them then committed a grave blunder by asking the hotel reception for house keys that could open all suspicious rooms.

That apparently did it. Phone calls must have been made by certain staff members and within minutes red shirts living nearby were gathering at the hotel. By the time the two groups of officers became aware of each other’s presence, the hotel was crawling with red shirts. Two pickups mounted with loudspeakers were used to block the road in front of the hotel, situated in the sprawling Town in Town estate off the Pradit Manutham (Ekkamai-Ram-Indra) Road.

The police called their superiors and requested commando reinforcements. Through all these hectic developments, the hotel staff managed to buy time and kept the house keys away from the now restless, and pretty much clueless, officers.

When the policemen finally got hold of the keys, Arisman was already playing a Mission Impossible hero, albeit with some difficulty due to his weight. His face was white and he appeared disoriented once he dropped himself to safety, into numerous red hands waiting to grab him on the ground.

“The police wanted to kill me,” he told reporters. “They wanted to kill me. There were bombs in the room.” Press photos of the room later showed what looked like grenades, which police said needed to be examined before they could ascertain the types.

According to Arisman, he did not escape from his own room, but from a “red guards” room where he had hidden after being alerted that the police were coming.

Details were sketchier as to how the other three red leaders escaped from the hotel. Reports said they were helped by red-shirt members, who easily outnumbered police officers and led the leaders out of their rooms without police resistance.

The SC Park Hotel incident has inflamed gossip about “tomato” police, the term for pro-red police who allegedly might have dragged their feet when it comes to legal action or operations against the protesters. Whether yesterday’s operations were simply lousy and ill conceived, or whether there had been moles within the force, reporters were able to locate one immigration officer, who described himself as a “brother” of Arisman.

The officer said he went to the hotel after hearing a distress call from Arisman’s mother and sister. The policeman said he was there only to make sure Arisman was not harmed after escaping from the hotel balcony.

The leaders of the Reds have announced today they will vacate their 30,000 plus rally site at the Phanfa Bridge and convene all together with the 20,000 thousand who are already at the rally site at the Ratchaprasong intersection near the Chit Lom BTS Station. OMG!  And these are just the ones who haven’t gone home on the 13th for the holiday! This will put additional pressure on the government to disband the parliament as this is the center of the business district, home to five-star hotels and major shopping centers.

My guesthouse is only a few yards off Sukhumvit 20 and over the last month, day and night, I have been hearing pick-ups and trucks with new and returning Red protesters from up north, singing and chanting to loud music, tooting horns and clapping their feet-shaped and heart-shaped quirky clappers coming to join the rally site down the road.  And when Songkran is over on the 18th many of those who have gone home to celebrate the holiday will be coming back again!

They are sleeping on sheets of plastic out on the road in sweltering heat that nears 40C or 104F during the day and lets up little at night. The rally sites have been fitted out with tents, canteens and large stages, where loudspeakers blast out a mixture of fiery anti-government rhetoric and Thai country folk music.

Red Shirts have set up makeshift toilets hooked up to the local water systems, brought in trailers equipped with showers and use washing facilities at nearby temples and hospitals. At a first aid tent, 200 to 300 people are treated each day, mostly for heat exhaustion or the effects of air pollution.

OMG! But with rice fields going belly up in the drought, I guess the people feel they have nothing left to lose.

Well, the political crisis hasn’t stopped Thais from celebrating the first day of their most important holiday when water is splashed on everyone to wash their sins from the last year.  Let’s hope it works this year! As for me, I’m staying in my room with a good book! 🙂

The Nation
Bangkok
April 13, 2010

BANGKOK: — Don’t hold your breath if you wish for a speedy resolution to the political predicament following the bloodbath on Saturday.

When blood got into the eyes of the opposing sides, common sense just flew out the window. It will take at least one to two weeks for emotions to cool off before the political battle can shift from the streets toward its proper arena – a ballot box.

It is also ironic and deplorable that past political tragedies did not serve as a lesson to avoid more bloodshed but may have hardened their determination to defeat one another. Instead of respecting the sanctity of life, key figures on the opposing sides plotted to splatter blood into hands of their rivals.

In the Black May incident, Palang Dharma Party leader Chamlong Srimuang led street protests to bring about the downfall of the then prime minister Suchinda Kraprayoon. Despite his personal victory, Chamlong’s party suffered a shattering defeat in the 1992 general election and he eventually faded out of mainstream politics. He failed to overcome the stigma of leading people to their deaths.

The Pheu Thai Party, and its puppet master Thaksin Shinawatra, made elaborate preparations to avoid Chamlong’s mistake. The red shirts are being led by people who harbour no hopes of becoming a prime ministerial candidate or a main force in politics.

Thaksin recruited Chavalit Yongchaiyudh as Pheu Thai chairman. Chavalit’s open mission is to prepare for the upcoming elections. Red-shirt leader Adisorn Piengket admitted, however, Chavait was actually Thaksin’s commander to wage the “last battle” to bring about political change.

What happened on Rajdamnoen Avenue on Saturday was not a botched anti-riot operation nor a lynching mob gone berserk. It was a head-on skirmish between two well-trained armed forces – one in fatigues and another in black. The red shirts were just props in the battlefield.

Like past tragedies, parties involved might try to sweep everything under the rug by blaming “a third hand” or terrorists or unidentified elements. But a tactical retreat to attack riot forces from behind was not something the mob could do on the spur of the moment.

Riot gear, such as tear gas, shields and batons, is designed to rein in unruly crowds but not to repel live ammunition. The death of Colonel Romklao “Pao” Thuwatham of the 2nd Infantry Division, is expected to reverberate through the Army ranks.

It is a century-old tradition that graduates from Chula-chomklao Royal Military Academy come from the same feeding bowl, and hence will not kill their own kind under any circumstances. In the failed coup of 1977, General Chalard Hiransiri broke the sacred code by fatally shooting General Arun Thawathasin. Chalard was subsequently executed by a firing squad.

Chavalit and top generals backing the red shirts should know that Army commanders will not allow Romklao to die in vain. Justice must be served one way or another.

In coming days, the government and the red shirts are expected to exchange barbs on the bloodbath. Autopsy reports on the victims will be highly politicised. The Pheu Thai Party candidates cannot afford to join the election with blood on their hands. Thaksin’s best-laid plan will backfire if the main opposition party is mired by such tragic incidents.

A deal will not be struck unless the opposing sides can ascertain a strong chance to win at the polls. Then and only then will the red shirts disperse.

Don’t kid yourself if you think a snap election will usher a fresh start. The Democrats and the Pheu Thai Party are expected to fight an election war of titanic proportions. The outcome is unlikely to end the polarisation, such that the next prime minister may well come from one of the smaller parties.

Update 2: Hmmm.  I just looked at the picture again. If he is so innocent why did he think to put on plastic gloves which would be for the purpose probably of keeping fingerprints off the gun? Well, either way, it’s all fishy to me.

Also, yesterday, since http://www.france24.com had video of the police shooting into the crowd of Reds,  the government finally admitted the police fired into the crowd to back up their comrades who were being fired on, they said.

Update: the man in black with the high-powered rifle pictured at the end of this post was taken up on the Red’s stage today where they explained that he had picked up a rifle belonging to the police.  Who knows.  The Red guards also dress in black so that may explain some of the confusion.

Thailand’s red-shirt protests darken with unknown snipers, parade of coffins

Thailand’s red-shirt protesters marched around Bangkok Monday carrying empty coffins, two days after the worst political violence since 1992.

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Antigovernment red shirt protestors follow vehicles carrying the coffins of those killed during clashes with security forces two days earlier through the streets of Bangkok Monday.

Damir Sagolj/Reuters

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By Simon Montlake, Correspondent / April 12, 2010Bangkok, ThailandThousands of red-shirted protesters in cars, pickups, and motorbikes took to the streets Monday carrying several empty coffins, two days after deadly clashes with government troops near a rally site.Related Stories

• Thai protests’ deadly turn deepens tense conflict
• Thailand – all coverage
• Red Shirt protesters storm Bangkok TV station; Thai military responds with force

The parade looped around a subdued city, which many residents had already exited for a week-long New Year holiday, normally a joyful time. The somber mood was driven home by the coffins draped in flags on the back of pickup trucks, with a framed formal photo of slain protesters.

Protest leaders have vowed to rally until Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva resigns and dissolves parliament, which he has said could take as long as nine months, a timeline rejected by protesters.

On Monday, Thailand’s electoral commission dealt another blow to the prime minister, recommending that the ruling party be dissolved. It found that the Democrat Party had misused campaign donations. While chipping away at the legitimacy of the ruling party, the electoral commission’s recommendation has to be approved by the Constitutional Court, which has not yet set a date to hear the case.

Standing on a bridge to cheer the passing convoy, Sukit Opachaloemphan, an American-educated engineer, cursed the prime minister for his handling of the protests. “He has to take responsibility. He made the decision for the military to go in and continue after dark,” he says.

‘Terrorists’

In contrast to the boisterous defiance of the protesters, Mr. Abhisit has used solemn televised addresses to tell his story. He has blamed rogue gunmen, or “terrorists,” for the intense violence (at least 21 people died and 800 were injured) and emphasized the need for a full investigation into the killings of both soldiers and protesters. State television has broadcast repeated images of soldiers coming under fire from bullets and explosives.

Abhisit said Monday that his government was intact and unified with the military, a key constituent in Thailand.

Earlier, Army Commander Gen. Anuphong Paochinda called for a political solution and said elections might be the answer. Coalition partners in Abhisit’s government are reportedly discussing their position and may emerge as peace brokers.

As more details emerge of the carnage, Bangkok’s worst political violence since 1992, military observers say Thai troops stumbled into a trap set by agents provocateurs with military expertise. By pinning down soldiers after dark and sparking chaotic battles with unarmed protesters, the unknown gunmen ensured heavy casualties on both sides.

Some were caught on camera and seen by reporters, including this one. Snipers targeted military ground commanders, indicating a degree of advance planning and knowledge of Army movements, say Western diplomats briefed by Thai officials. While leaders of the demonstrations have disowned the use of firearms and say their struggle is nonviolent, it is unclear whether radicals in the movement knew of the trap.

“You can’t claim to be a peaceful political movement and have an arsenal of weapons out the back if needed. You can’t have it both ways,” says a Western diplomat in regular contact with protest leaders.

Links to rogue elements?

Sean Boonpracong, a spokesman for the red shirts, denied any links to rogue elements. “Most of the reds are fighting with their bare hands or rocks or water bottles. If this was a third hand we’d like to know who it was. It definitely wasn’t us,” he says.

Some observers questioned how the military could have blundered into battle without adequate preparation. Agents provocateurs, known to Thais as Third Hands,” have helped foment past political conflicts, and appeared in a 2008 confrontation involving protesters from a rival royalist camp that supports the current government.

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Simon can often be seen attending press conferences at the Thai Foreign Correspondent’s Club and is one of the most respected journalists there…working for the prestigious Christian Science Monitor.  This is the best summary of the clash I have read.

The France24.com website shows a video of police officers shooting directly into the crowd of Red demonstrators. The Reds had been playing hard-core DJ music for a month and you will notice that the army was playing piano music by Chopin to try to calm the protesters when the fight broke out.

Here are the last few frames of the Reuters Japanese journalist,cameraman Hiro Muramoto, who was killed in the melee.

And finally here is a picture of one of the black-clad sharpshooters, however it is “officially” unknown in whose interest it is for him to be working.

This took place at the Democracy Monument near Phan Fa Bridge which is very close to Khaosan Road, the backpacker street.  It scared the bejesus out of the kids and many of them moved out.  Since the street is closed down for Songkran, they are heading up to Chiang Mai for the water. It is looking more and more like an outside group upset with the Abhisit government infiltrated the Reds demonstration.  More will be known when autopsies are finished and reports released today.Update: Khaosan opened up again and the kids came back on the 13th for Sangkran

Coalition parties and the military are all calling for a quick change to the constitution and dissolution of the house.  It is increasingly looking like a another coup is possible.

Meanwhile, the Reds are now continuing with  their procession of dead bodies:

RedShirts coffin procession starts at Democracy Monument, to pass Lanluang, Bantadthong, Rama4, Phetchaburi, Nanglerng

The government run TV channels are mostly re-running propaganda about Thai culture and how wonderful Thailand is.  One military controlled channel continually shows the wounded soldiers being taken from the demonstration site.  They keep saying too many soldiers died!  No mention that only 7 of the 21 dead were soldiers. This station carries no film of the wounded and dead Red Shirts.  The Red Channel is still off.

Running updates, newspaper compilations and twitters from thaivisa.com here: