Everything You Need To Know About Bangkok's 2014 Shutdown
Tensions on the streets of Bangkok boiled over Tuesday as police sought to disperse several protest camps in the capital, resulting in at least 70 people injured and five deaths, including that of one police officer.
By Sadho Ram — 02 Dec 2013, 06:28 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
Thai Court Bans Use Of Violence Against Protesters After 5 Killed And Over 60 Left Injured
Describing the movement to overthrow the Thai government as peaceful, a Bangkok civil court on Wednesday sharply curtailed the powers of the authorities and barred them from dispersing protesters, a decision that a prominent legal analyst described as “one step closer to a full-scale judicial coup.”
Anti-government protesters gather as Thai soldiers stand guard at a Defence Ministry compound serving as a temporary office for Thai Prime Minister Yi
Image via gulf-times.comThe decision came one day after violent clashes between the police and protesters that left five people dead, including a police officer.
nytimes.com
After a series of confrontations in recent weeks and the wide circulation of photographs of heavily armed men among the protesters, the protest movement increasingly resembles an armed insurrection against the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
time.com
An antigovernment protester Wednesday outside a Bangkok compound being used as a temporary office for the prime minister of Thailand.
Image via nyt.comThe court found that the protests were being carried out “peacefully without weapons,” and ordered that the demonstrators’ rights and freedoms “be protected according to the Constitution.” The decision bars the government from using force or weapons to crack down on the demonstrators.
nytimes.com
Demonstrators resisted attempts by thousands of riot police officers to dislodge them from the streets surrounding the prime minister’s office.
Image via nyt.comThailand Goes To Vote As Anti-Government Protesters Attempt To Disrupt The Vote Across The Nation
Thailand's tense national election got underway Sunday with protesters forcing the closure of several polling stations in the capital amid fears of more bloodshed a day after gun battles in Bangkok left seven people wounded.
The extent of disruptions was not immediately clear when polls opened nationwide. But there were early indications that several hundred polling stations in Bangkok and southern Thailand, an opposition stronghold, could not open because protesters had blocked the delivery of ballots or stopped voters from entering.
the-review.com
Some anti-government protesters were armed with guns during clashes on Saturday
Image via bbcimg.co.ukWhatever happens, the outcome will almost certainly be inconclusive. Because protesters blocked candidate registration in some districts, parliament will not have enough members to convene.
voanews.com
That means beleaguered Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will be unable to form a government or even pass a budget, and Thailand will be stuck in political limbo for months as by-elections are run in constituencies that were unable to vote.
the-review.com
Some government supporters were seen bloodied, apparently with gunshot wounds
Image via bbcimg.co.ukThe risk of Election Day violence remained high a day after seven people were wounded during an hour-long gun fight that broke out in broad daylight at a busy Bangkok intersection Saturday between government supporters and protesters intent on derailing the polls. Among the injured was reporter for the local Daily News newspaper and American photojournalist, James Nachtwey, who was grazed by a bullet in the leg.
theaustralian.com.au
Grenade Explodes At Thai Protest Site Ahead Of Sunday Election
A grenade exploded at a anti-government protest site in northern Bangkok early Wednesday, injuring two demonstrators, a protest leader said.
enca.com
Thai soldiers gather at the venue of a meeting between Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and election officials after gun shots were heard as anti-government protesters were protesting outside the Army Club in Bangkok on January 28, 2014.
Image via cloudfront.net"The M79 grenade was launched on us after 3 am [2000 Tuesday GMT] and exploded near where people were sleeping," Issara Somchai, one of the protest leaders, told MCOT radio.
The attack was at the Lat Phrao intersection in northern Bangkok, which the People's Democratic Reform Committee has occupied since January 13 as part of its Bangkok Shutdown campaign aimed at forcing the resignation of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck and her cabinet.
enca.com
The protests of the PDRC movement, which started in early November, have seen increasingly frequent violence ahead of a contentious general election set for Sunday.
Thailand’s government vowed Tuesday to push ahead with controversial elections this weekend, despite threats by opposition protesters to disrupt the polls in an attempt to stop the ruling party returning to power.
nation.com.pk
Thai 'Red-Shirt' Leader Shot Outside His Home One Day After Declaration Of Emergency
Kwanchai Praipana, a pro-government leader, is wheeled into an intensive care room after he was shot and wounded in a drive-by shooting.
Image via guim.co.uk"From the way the assailants fired, they obviously didn't want him to live," his wife, Arporn Sarakham, told Reuters.
theguardian.com
“From what we saw on CCTV, a bronze pickup truck drove by and several rounds were fired at the house,” Kowit Tharoenwattanasuk, a police colonel, told Reuters. “We believe this is a politically motivated crime.”
nytimes.com
A leader of Thailand's pro-government "red shirt" movement was shot and wounded in a drive-by shooting on Wednesday in the northeastern town of Udon Thani, in what police said appeared to be a politically motivated attack.
yahoo.com
Kwanchai Praipana, a local radio presenter who played a large role in Bangkok protests in 2010, was wounded at his home in Udon Thani in the north.
Thailand Announces 60-Day State Of Emergency Over Its Capital. What Does This Mean For The People Of Bangkok?
An anti-government protester joins a rally at the Victory Monument in Bangkok Tuesday. Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said she is willing to negotiate with opponents, but has also declared a state of emergency after protests spurred violent attacks in Bangkok.
Image via cbc.ca
Thai protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban (top R) waves as he greets supporters as anti-government protesters march in downtown Bangkok.
Image via telegraph.co.uk
Protesters have occupied several government buildings in the capital, Bangkok
Image via aljazeera.com
Thailand has announced a two-month state of emergency in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces in response to protests that have seen nine people killed and hundreds injured amid calls for the government to resign.
theguardian.com
The decree will allow security agencies to impose curfews, detain suspects without charge, censor media, ban political gatherings of more than five people and declare areas off-limits.
aljazeera.comThe last time a state of emergency was imposed in Bangkok, to deal with opposition protests against the previous government in 2010, dozens of people were killed in a bloody military crackdown.
telegraph.co.ukThai Anti-Government Protests Turn Violent, As PM Yingluck Shinawatra Refuses To Step Down
Shots have been fired in Bangkok in an apparent attack on anti-government protesters that wounded at least two people and raised tensions in Thailand's deepening political crisis.
theguardian.com
Most of the Thai capital remained unaffected on Wednesday by the latest wave of rallies. But the shooting was the latest in a string of sporadic violent incidents.
theaustralian.com.au
Bangkok's emergency services office said one man was hit in the ankle and a woman was hit in the arm in the shooting, which occurred on a street leading to an upmarket shopping district that has been occupied since Monday by camping demonstrators trying to oust the prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, and her government.
cnn.com
Anti-government protesters of People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) duck behind a barricade after three gunshots are heard in the distance near the MBK Center in the Pathumwan district in Bangkok on Wednesday.
Image via thehindu.comIn another incident over Tuesday night a small explosive device was thrown into a residential compound owned by former Abhisit Vejjajiva, the previous prime minister, shattering windows and slightly damaging a roof, according to police colonel Chumpol Phumphuang and Abhisit's opposition Democrat party.
In the west of the city several people poured gasoline on a tour bus that had been used by protesters and set it ablze, police said.
theguardian.com
On Tuesday Yingluck insisted she would not quit while the protesters reiterated vows not to negotiate, leaving no way out in sight. "I've stressed many times I have a duty to act according to my responsibility after the dissolution of parliament," Yingluck saod.
"I'd like to say right now I am not holding on [to my position] but I have to keep political stability. I'm doing my duty to preserve democracy."
theguardian.com
The protesters are boycotting the February poll because they know Yingluck's party would win as it did in 2011. Instead, they are calling for an unelected "people's council" to amend laws to fight corruption in politics, while an appointed prime minister would help administer the country for up to two years.
Thai Protestors Launch Bangkok Shutdown Amidst Fear Of Civil War
Thailand braced for a “shutdown” of its capital today by protesters who want to topple Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and install an unelected government, as fears grew that the southeast Asian country could be heading for civil war.
Protesters have begun blocking roads in parts of the Thai capital, Bangkok, in a bid to oust the government before snap elections on 2 February.
The protesters are building barricades and occupying key road junctions. Huge crowds are expected to turn out for the demonstration on Monday. Protesters say they intend to achieve what they are calling a shutdown of the capital.
At one, near the American and Japanese embassies, around 100 protesters sat on the road to halt traffic. Som Rodpai, 64, said they would leave after nightfall, amid fears their citywide protest could spark a violent reaction.
"I'm not scared," said Som. "We came here unarmed."
reuters.com
"We will fight regardless of whether we win or lose. We will not compromise or accept negotiation," protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban told crowds at a rally late Sunday. But it was still unclear how much support he would enjoy among city residents, some of whom voiced fears that the action would hurt their livelihoods.
aljazeera.comThe government says it is deploying 8,000 soldiers and 10,000 police to keep order.
The military - which has carried out several coups in the past - has refused to rule out another one. Some fear an escalation of violence could lead to a military intervention.
The government has so far worked to avoid confrontation with the protesters.
Tearful Thai PM To Protesters: 'I Have Retreated So Far And I Don't Know Where To Retreat Further'
Her eyes welling with tears, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra pleaded on Tuesday for anti-government demonstrators to clear the streets and support a snap election, but defiant protest leaders called for her to step down within 24 hours.
dnaindia.com
Yingluck Shinawatra said: 'I have retreated so far and I don't know where to retreat further.' Photograph: Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters
Image via guim.co.ukAfter weeks of sometimes violent street protests, protesters rejected her call on Monday for a general election and said she should be replaced by an unelected "people's council", a proposal that has stoked concern Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy may abandon its democratic process.
theguardian.com
Yingluck said she would continue her duties as caretaker prime minister until the election, which is expected on February 2. "Now that the government has dissolved parliament I ask that you stop protesting and that all sides work towards elections," Yingluck said, with tears in her eyes.
She quickly composed herself. An estimated 3,000 protesters camped out overnight around Government House, where Yingluck's office is located, a day after 160,000 protesters converged peacefully on the complex in one of Bangkok's largest protests in memory.
indianexpress.comThey made no attempt to get into the grounds, which appeared to be defended by unarmed police and soldiers. The crowd could swell again on Tuesday, a public holiday in Thailand for Constitution Day.
theguardian.com
Anti-Government Protesters Want Thai PM To Leave The Country After She Dissolves Parliament
Facing large protests and calls for her resignation, embattled Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra dissolved parliament on Monday to pave the way for fresh elections that she will likely win again.
time.com
"There will be new elections according to the democratic system," Yingluck Shinawatra said. (AP)
Image via indianexpress.comNo date has been announced for the elections, but according to the Thai constitution, elections must be held within two months of dissolving the parliament. Yingluck will remain as caretaker prime minister until the new elections.
cnn.comBut with Yellow Shirt demonstrators repeatedly rejecting offers for a return to the polls, this move is unlikely to placate the hordes seeking to oust Thailand’s first female Premier.
ibtimes.co.uk
Anti-government demonstrators hold Thai national flags and shout slogans during a protest
Image via bloomberg.comProtesters have said they would not settle for the prime minister’s resignation but instead want to rid Thailand of her family’s influence. Thailand has been plagued by political turmoil since the army toppled Yingluck’s brother, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, in a 2006 coup.
The protesters are demanding an interim unelected body vaguely defined as "People's Council" to replace what they call "Thaksin's regime". The protesters insist the entire administration needs to be revamped and Yingluck and her family members should leave the country.
winnipegfreepress.com
Anti-Government Protesters With Thai National Flags Ride Their Motorbikes As They Rally On A Main Road In Bangkok
Thai Police To Rebuild Barricades After Protesters Set Monday As Deadline To Topple Government
Thai authorities said Saturday they would rebuild barricades around key state buildings in Bangkok after opposition protesters called for a final push to topple the government.
AFP A motorist drives past a barricade put up by anti-government protesters near Government House in Bangkok on December 7, 2013 (AFP, Indranil Mukherjee)
Image via imgur.comThe kingdom remains tense following several days of street clashes between police and demonstrators seeking to overthrow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and curb the political influence of her brother Thaksin.
google.comAfter the clashes, during which riot police used tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets against stone-throwing demonstrators, the government ordered police to ease tensions by taking down barriers around key buildings including Government House.
A Thai Buddhist monk walks past a near empty parking lot of the Finance Ministry occupied by anti-government protesters in Bangkok on December 6, 2013 (AFP, Indranil Mukherjee)
Image via imgur.comBut the barricades are set to be rebuilt ahead of a threat by anti-government protest leaders to turn Monday into "judgement day" for their efforts to overthrow the government.
"Police will erect barricades -- especially around Government House and Parliament," said Paradorn Pattnatabut, chief of the National Security Council.
Although the protests are "losing momentum" he said thousands of police would still be deployed on Monday.
"I am confident that there will be no violent incidents on Monday," he said, expressing hope the five week stand-off could still be resolved through negotiation.
Amidst Deadly Unrest, Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej Appeals To People To Stand United
Thailand's revered but ailing king urged his politically divided citizens to stand united for the "stability and security" of the country, after a week of protests calling for the overthrow of the government saw five people killed and more than 270 injured.
bangkokpost.com
HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn and other members of the royal family pay their respects to His Majesty the King. (Royal Household Bureau photo)
Image via bangkokpost.comBut the leader of the protests, Suthep Thaugsuban – a deputy premier in the previous administration – vowed that the fight would only end once the current "regime" was "eradicated" from Thailand, and told his supporters to prepare for another round of fighting on Friday.
theguardian.com
Thailand's prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, centre, joins in a song in honour of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, during his birthday celebrations. Photograph: Manish Swarup/AP
Image via guim.co.ukThe two sides had observed a two-day truce, beginning on Wednesday, out of respect for King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 86th birthday.
The king, who has intervened in previous political standoffs during his 67 years on the throne, did not directly address the protests in a short speech to his subjects, saying only that Thais should “help each other for the national interest.”
Protesters have vowed to overthrow the government and rid the country of its most influential political family
nytimes.comProtesters Reach PM's Office As Thai Police Removed Barriers Around Their HQs, After Protesters Said They Were Targeting The Police Building
Anti-government protesters have crossed heavily fortified barriers and reached the gates of the prime minister's office without resistance from the police.
go.com
A girl joins anti-government protesters fighting police near the Government House in Bangkok December 2, 2013.
Image via reutersmedia.netEarlier Tuesday, police used cranes to remove concrete slabs and barbed wire barricades on a road leading to the nearby city police headquarters after agreeing to let the protesters into the building.
An anti-government protester throws a rock at Thai riot police as they attempt to remove barricades outside Government House in Bangkok December 2, 2013.
Image via reutersmedia.netThe unexpected reversal of strategy by the government suggests it no longer wants to confront the protesters after three days of clashes. Government officials did not comment on the developments.
reuters.com
Four people have died in Thailand's worst political turmoil since the 2010 rallies that ended in violence.
The Thai prime minister has rejected protesters' demands that she step down, describing them as unconstitutional.
Anti-government protesters are treated after Thai riot police fired tear gas as protesters attacked Government House in Bangkok December 2, 2013.
Image via reutersmedia.netEarlier the anti-government protesters had plans to spray faeces at police who used tear-gas to prevent them from occupying government offices. Chumpol Jullasai, a core member of the anti-government group, had announced the plan from the stage at Ratchadamnoen main protest site on Monday.
bangkokpost.comHe had told the protesters to mobilise to occupy Government House and the Metropolitan Police Bureau. "We'll use a biological weapon to counter police who use tear-gas on us," he said. It was reported that the demonstrators had faecal suction trucks ready to use against security forces hiding behind concrete barriers and barbed wire.
dnaindia.com
Thailand’s Prime Minister On Monday Rejected The Demands Of Anti-Government Protesters Locked In Street Battles With Police, Saying What They Want Is Unacceptable Under The Constitution
Breaking her silence after the protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban gave her a two-day ultimatum to return the power to people, Thailand PM Yingluck Shinawatra said that she was ready to do anything for peace but rejected the protesters’ demand of setting up a People’s Council, calling it unconstitutional.
The Thai PM has been accused of being a proxy for her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra: AFP
Image via firstpost.inSpeaking in a televised press conference on Monday, she said that she was ready to open all the channels, including talks for negotiating peace, however added that implementing the protesters’ call for setting up of a People’s Council was not in accordance with the law.
firstpost.com
“If I can do anything to return peace, I'll do it but it must done under the provision of the Constitution," Yingluck said.
Protest Leader And Former Opposition Politician Suthep Thaugsuban Said On Sunday That Ms Yingluck Should Resign Within The Next "Two Days"
"If Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra listens to the people's voices and returns the power to the people, we will treat Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra with politeness because we all are good citizens,'' he said.
The protesters want to replace the government with an unelected "People's Council", alleging Ms Yingluck's government is controlled by her brother, ousted leader Thaksin Shinawatra.
indianexpress.comGALLERY: Thai Protests In Photos
Anti-government protesters have been attacking barricades in an attempt to occupy Government House
Image via bbcimg.co.uk
Anti-government protesters today took control of Thai PBS telvision station while another group managed to break through barriers to enter the compound of the Interior Ministry. (Reuters)
Image via indianexpress.com
An injured man is rescued after being attacked by anti-government protesters near the stadium where pro-government red shirts are gathered in Bangkok
Image via telegraph.co.ukThe Protests, Which Began On 24 November, Had Been Largely Peaceful Until Saturday, When They Became Violent
Over the weekend demonstrators tried to break apart police barricades and storm the prime minister's office, with police using tear gas and water cannons to repel them.
On Monday, protesters returned to the streets again and more clashes occurred, although correspondents said that demonstrator numbers appeared lower than before.
irrawaddy.org
The protests turned violent yesterday, with five people being killed inside Ramkhamhaeng University in clashes that continued till this morning. (AP)
Image via indianexpress.comThe mood of the protests appeared considerably nastier than over the weekend, with gangs of young men attempting to provoke riot police and smashing a police car, the BBC's Jonah Fisher in Bangkok reports.
businessweek.com
A Thai opposition protester throws a tear gas canister back to the police during clashes outside the Government House in Bangkok, on December 1, 2013.
Image via bloomberg.comProtesters took control of a garbage truck and a police truck, using them to break through some concrete barricades, AP news agency reported.
Paradorn Pattanathabutr, head of Thailand's National Security Council, told Reuters news agency that security forces were "alternating between the use of water cannons, teargas and rubber bullets."
telegraph.co.uk
"Rubber bullets are being used in one area only and that is the bridge near Government House," he added.
irrawaddy.org
Several schools and universities have closed, citing security concerns. Around 60 schools in Bangkok, as well as the main UN office, were shut, AP news agency added.