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High tension in Thailand - January 2006
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Above: January 15 editions of Kom
Chad Luek (left) and Thai Rath (right) with front page stories
on the brief seizing of Government House
Thai
Rak Thai warns Sondhi of counter rally - The
Nation, January 30, 2006
...Suthin said Thai Rak Thai MPs had learnt from community leaders,
village heads and kamnan that rural people had become fed up with Sondhi
for trying to topple the government.
"They want to show their force to oppose Sondhi but we tried to
ask them to be patient as we don't want a confrontation between two
sides," Suthin said...
COMMENTARY:
The activist who switched sides - IHT,
January 29, 2006
The government's recent attempts to shut down ASTV and the Manager
website reflects the undemocratic leadership style of Thaksin Shinawatra.
Before its latest moves, the Thaksin administration had directly and
indirectly used state power to stop ASTV from broadcasting Thailand
This Week, hosted by Sondhi Limthongkul, a political firebrand and founder
of Manager Media Group.
Some community radio stations have received threatening phone calls
warning them not to air the talk show, and governors, provincial police
commanders, and even the Provincial Electricity Authority were ordered
to pressure other community radio stations around the country.
Given that all the measures used to end the 'Sondhi phenomenon' are
of a dictatorial nature, it is unbelievable that key government figures
from the generation involved in the October 14, 1973 democracy uprising,
such as Chaturon Chaisang, Sutham Saengpratum, Phinij Jarusombat and
Phumtham Wechayachai, would agree with the government's abuse of power...
REGIONAL
PERSPECTIVE: 'Thaksinisation' strains Thai-US relations - The
Nation, January 23, 2006
Looking
beyond Thaksin era - The Nation, January 23, 2006
Army
may step in if police fail to control rally - Bangkok Post,
January 23, 2006
...Meanwhile, Gen Surayud Chulanond, privy councillor and a former
army chief and supreme commander, denied a rumour that he was one choice
to replace Mr Thaksin as prime minister. He has insisted that he is satisfied
with being a privy councillor.
Social critic Theerayuth Boonmi said he disagreed with Mr Sondhi's demands
as they were undemocratic. He said he did not believe Mr Sondhi could
mobilise more support on Feb 4 than attended previous gatherings in Lumpini
park...
EDITORIAL:
Not quite a revolt -- yet - The Nation,
January 15, 2006
Enough
is enough: Thaksin - The Nation,
January 14, 2006
PM's
secretary-general orders police to take action against protesters
- The Nation, January 14, 2006
Police
round up protesters outside Government House -
The Nation, January 14, 2006
About 1,000 policemen were led by Police Commissioner-General Kowit
Wattana round up some 40 protesters outside Government House at about
7:50 am Saturday.
Kowit arrived at the protesting scene at about 7:40 when less then 100
protesters remained there.
Police then broke at the rally at about 7:50 am by selectively arresting
whom they believed to be leading members.
Some 40 of them were arrested and several suffered head injuries when
police tossed them inside mobile bars. Their head hit the bars when
being pushed inside.
Kowit declined to answer reporters' questions as to what charges were
used to justify the arrest.
They were transported to be detained at the Bang Khen Police Academy,
usually used to detain political crime suspects.
The protesters continued rallying outside Government House after over
10,000 gathered there late Friday night to demand the resignation of
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Thousands
of protesters lay siege to Government House -
The Nation, January 14, 2006
...The most serious incident in the political standoff between Thaksin
and the antigovernment movement was virtually ignored by all free TV
stations and all but a couple of radio stations. Some government TV
stations reported the incident briefly in their breaking news but did
not elaborate on the magnitude of the situation...
Brief
scuffle occurs between anti-Sondhi and anti-Thaksin groups
- The Nation, January 13 , 2006
...Fearing the situation would escalate, the staff of Thailand Weekly
played a royal anthem, prompting both sides to stand still...
Sondhi
plays video clips showing how pro-government people are organised
- The Nation, January 13 , 2006
Pro-government
demonstrators reach Lumpini Park - The Nation,
January 13 , 2006
Sondhi's
anti-Thaksin crusade running out of steam - The
Nation, January 13, 2006
Media tycoon Sondhi Limthongkul is clearly struggling to capitalise
on the eroding public support for Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra
to generate momentum for his drive to replace the current Constitution
and topple the government.
Not all of those who showed up for Sondhi's weekly talk show at Lumpini
Park last Friday agreed to sign his petition calling for a return of
"royal power" to the monarchy, thereby delaying his plan to
submit his motion to the Privy Council...
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