Three bomb attacks in Surat Thani

Police on Friday reported three bombing attacks in Surat Thani, the hometown of Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban.

The bombs were home-made and planted near electricity poles at separate locations. No damages and casualties reported.

The Nation http://www.nation...l[/center]

    

PM arrives to work at Government House as usual

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva left his home and went to work at the Government House as usual Friday morning.

The prime minister left his home on Soi Sukhumvit 31 at 7 am and arrived at the Government House at 7:30 am.

The Nation

    

Suthep: There will be no civil war

There will be no civil war as the government will not use force to deal with the red-shirted protesters, Deputy Prime Minister for security affairs Suthep Thaugsuban affirmed on Friday morning.

“There will be no violent clash between military and police forces and the demonstrators. The government will maintain peace and order to ensure the people can continue their daily lives as normal”, Mr Suthep said.

He called on the people not to panic as targets of the red-shirts are state offices not people’s homes.

Asked about leaders of the United front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) had threatened to use decisive measures on Monday (March 15), if Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva fails to dissolve House of representatives within this Sunday as demanded, Mr Suthep stated that UDD leaders who incite violence will be arrested.

He assessed that the red-shirts mass anti-government rally would last about three to seven days

http://www.bangko...r[/center]

    

Red shirts at Wong Wien Yai disperse

The red-shirt demonstrators at the Wong Wien Yai dispersed at 1:30 pm Friday.

Jatuporn Promphan, a red-shirt leader, left the demonstration ground after performing a rite to commence the rally at noon.

The protesters left on their pick-up trucks.

The Nation http://www.nation...l[/center]

    

Red shirts to disperse by 5 pm and regroup Sunday

The red shirts in the capital will voluntarily disperse by 5.00 pm Friday before regrouping for the mass rally on Sunday, rally organiser Jatuporn Promphan said.

The red shirts have assembled Friday as a gesture to kick off their rally.

Among their main activities is the cursing ceremony held at five locations, Lak Si Circle, Taksin Circle, Din Daeng Junction, Lumpini Park and Bang Na Intersection.

A separate ceremony is also held in Nonthaburi.

The Nation http://www.nation...24537.html

    

Red shirts start marching from North, Northeast

Thousands of red shirts from the North and the Northeast have started their march Friday's morning, expecting to reach Bangkok by Sunday.

Those from the North are expected to converge and stay overnight in Nakhon Sawan while those from the Northeast will spend the night at Nakhon Ratchasima.

Before departing their respective hometowns, the red shirts organised a series of ceremonies to pay respect to and ask for the blessing of deities revered in their towns.

Colourful departure ceremonies were held in Chiang Mai. Lampang, Udon Thani and Ubon Ratchathani.

The Nation http://www.thai-d...5[/center]

    

Nyt fra Surat Thani der var 5 ikke tre bomber


Five bombings in Surat Thani

* Published: 12/03/2010 at 12:28 PM
* Online news: Breakingnews

Five bombs exploded at diffdrent locations in the southern city of Surat Thani on Friday morning, no one was hurt, Surat Thani police chief Pol Maj Gen Thesa Siriwatho said.

The first bomb went off at a high-voltage electricity pole in front of a turf vendor's premises on the bypass road at Moo 1, tambon Makham Tia of Surat Thani’s Muang district. The second exploded at a electricity pole near a warehouse of the M150 energy drink, about 300 metres from the first bomb.

The third bomb exploded at a power pole in front of Baan Suay Bypass 2 housing estate, about two kilometres away from the first spot.

    

Udon red shirts on their way to BKK

A large number of red shirts from Nong Khai, Udon Thani and Nong Bua Lamphu provinces departed Udon Thani town on Friday afternoon on 500 pick-up trucks, police said.

They also had in their convoy 10 large trucks loaded with rice and food supplies.

Thousands of people stood on both sides of the road to see them off.

The vehicles caused heavy traffic jam on Mitraphap road beween Udon Thani and Nong Khai. They were thorough searched at two checkpoints manned by provincial and highway police and soldiers from the 24th Army District.

http://www.bangko...k[/center]

    

Red-shirts gather at 11th Infantry Regt.

About 3,500 red shirts led by Veera Musikhapong paused for speeches in front of the 11th Infantry Regiment barracks on Phahon Yothin road shortly after leaving their rendezvous point at the Lak Si democracy monument about 2pm on Friday.

From a stage on the back of a truck, Mr Veera, the main speaker, called for democracy-loving people to join the Sunday rally to oust the government. Eight fire trucks and one company of soldiers were on hand to maintain law and order. There was no trouble.

The protesters then moved to the Kasetsat intersection. Their next planned stops were the Ratchayothin intersection, Lat Phrao intersection and the BTS skytrain station at Mor Chit.

They were to return to Lak Si late Friday afternoon before calling it a day. The protesters said they would regroup on Saturday morning to march to the main rally site at Ratchadamnoen avenue.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva arrived at the peace-keeping operation centre inside the 11th Infantry Regiment's compound shortly before the red-shirts did.

http://www.bangko...t[/center]

    

Natthawut makes another threat

* Published: 12/03/2010 at 03:34 PM
* Online news: Breakingnews

The red-shirts will roam all over the streets of Bangkok on Monday if the government dies not meet the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship's demand for a House dissolution Natthawut Saikua said on Friday.

If the government still refused to comply, they would employ other tactics which would force the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration to finally concede defeat, he said.

Mr Natthawut said UDD leaders would hold a meeting to mete out next moves on Mar 15. He believed the siutation would force the government to hold the cabinet meeting on Mar 16 at the Royal Thai Armed Forces Command headquarters on Chaeng Wattna road.

He said the UDD had nothing to do with the explosions in Surat Thani on Friday morning. He even suspected they might have been planned by Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban for some hidden purpose. The province is Mr Suthep's hometown

Mr Natthawut also claimed to have detected an unusual movement of thousands of people to Bangkok, where he said they would put on red shirts and instigate chaos and violence.

He said he suspected this could be the work of "an exorcist from Buri Ram" - an apparent referrence to Newin Chidchob of the Bhumjaithai Party.

http://www.bangko...t[/center]

    

    

Thaksin expelled by UAE?

The Foreign Ministry is checking a report that former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been expelled by the United Arab Emirates and is heading for Siem Reap, Cambodia, according to Chavanont Intarakomalsut.

Mr Chavanont, secretary to Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, said on Friday the ministry had received this report about Thaksin and was checking to verify whether it was true.

Concerning this matter, Panich Wikitseth, assistant to the foreign minister, said only that the UAD had promised not to allow Thaksin to use Dubai as his base for political activities against Thailand.

The report was quickly denied by Thaksin's close aide Noppadon Pattama.

Mr Noppadon said the report was not true. Thaksin was still staying in Dubai and had no plan travel to Cambodia during this time, he said.

He said Khunying Potjaman na Pombejra, Thaksin's ex-wife, was now in Hong Kong, not in Dubai as reported, and that his two daughters, Pinthongta and Praethongtan, were in Germany.

Mr Noppadon also said Yingluck Shinawatra, Thaksin's younger sister, had travelled abroad, but did not mention the country.


kilde http://www.bangko...led-by-uae

    

thaksin arrives in Cambodia : Thai FM

Fugitive ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra left Dubai and arrived in Cambodia on Friday as red shirts started gathering to join the mass rallies on Sunday.

PM's secretary Chavanon Indharakomansut said Thaksin travelled to Siem Reap province of Cambodia by his private jet.

Thai foreign ministry has already contacted its embassy in Phnom Penh to monitor Thaksin's activities in Cambodia, Chavanont said.

Thaksin has been appointed as an economic adviser to Cambodia's PM Hun Sen and the Khmer government. The appointment has led to protests by the Thai government.

kilde http://www.nation...l[/center]

    

Centre, hotline to help worried tourists

The Tourism and Sports Ministry has opened a centre to handle any problems tourists may encounter because of this weekend's red-shirts rally, the minister, Chumpol Silpa-archa, said on Friday.

The centre was being manned around the clock until March 23 by staff from the Tourist Police Division, Tourism Council of Thaland, Thai Hotels Association, Association of Thai Travel Agents and Tourism Authority of Thailand.

Tourists can seek help and advice by calling the centre hotline on telephone number 1672.

They may also directly contact the Tourism and Sports Ministry on hotline number 1414, tourist police 1155, Thai Hotels Association 1552, and General Insurance Association 1356.

Mr Chumpol said, for example, that tourists may be advised to avoid Ratchadamnoen, Vibhavadi Rangsit, Rama 9, Rama 4, Silom and Ratchadamri roads as the Victory Monument.

Tourist police conduct day patrol at major tourist attractions such as the Wiest Chaisri Fort and Grand Palace and night patrol at popular nightspots on Khao San and Silom roads, he said.

Mr Chumpol said the General Insurance Association has assigned its personnel at medical centres to give advice on medical expenses and details on non-life insurances.

    

RED SHIRTS' RALLIES
Photo Galleries and Slideshows

klik her for foto http://www.nation...24567.html

    

    

    

Suthep vows to break up rally if protesters block roads, intrude government offices

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban Saturday vowed to break up the rally if protesters stage road blockage or intrude into government offices.

Suthep said there would be no problem if the protesters respect the laws.

"But if they violate the laws, such as blocking roads and intruding into government offices, we will have to disperse the protesters," Suthep said.

The Nation http://www.nation...l[/center]

    

FM: Thaksin asked to leave UAE

Convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has been asked to leave the United Arab Emirates.

“High ranking government official of the UAE had confirmed that the fugitive ex-premier has been asked to leave UAE for having violated an agreement that he will not use the country as base for his political activities”, assistant to the foreign affairs minister Phanich Wikitseth said on Saturday afternoon.

The UAE has sent signal to Thaksin to stop using it as his political base and cause problem to Thailand and to leave the country, Mr Phanich added.

He had no idea when Thaksin would leave the UAE and where his destination was. But if his ministry learns his where about and if Thaksin uses that particular country as political base again, the government of that country will be asked to do the same as the UAE had done.

Thaksin had early this morning denied via his Twitter page that he was not expelled by the UAE as was reported by the media, and that he would today go to meet his two daughters in Europe.

http://www.bangko...e[/center]

    

District police chief killed in ambush

Yala- A senior policeman, known for his honesty and expertise in anti-insurgency warfare, died from wounds sustained in a bomb attack and ensuing gunfire yesterday that also wounded three other officers.

Pol Colonel Somphian Eksomya, 59, who would have retired in October, was well liked by his colleagues and residents in the deep South, where he served most of his 20-year career in the police force. He had originally started off as a police constable.

Somphian, who was police chief for Yala province's Bannang Sata district, was heading off on a mission to meet locals at an insurgent-infested area when his pickup was ambushed on a remote road at 1.30pm yesterday.

He and the other three occupants of the truck were first hit by a roadside bomb, which was followed by gunfire.

The police chief was pronounced dead at 3.40pm at a local hospital, while the other three were in intensive care.

The Songkhla native, who had survived a previous bomb attack and several gunfights, said recently that his request to be transferred out of the strife-torn southern provinces had been rejected.

The tough officer was affectionately dubbed the "Iron-legged Sergeant Phian" for his stamina on foot patrol, and also the "fighter on the Budo mountain range" for his courage and efficiency in leading previous anti-insurgency missions.

http://www.nation...l[/center]