THE LEVEL OF VIOLENCE in the political stand-off of the last six months is new and disturbing. In Thailand's past history of public protest, the violence committed was almost totally the work of security forces engaged in repression. This time the violence was committed in the name of protest. All sides contributed in various ways. But as PAD was the main protagonist, violence committed by those on the PAD side has been the most prominent.
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From around September onwards, PAD leaders talked regularly about the prospect of a "civil war". The airport seizure was announced as the "final battle". After this "Hiroshima", we were told to expect "Nagasaki". PAD leaders justified anything by explaining "we are now at war".
A major difference from earlier demonstrations has been the "guards". During the 99-day protest at Government House in 1997, the Assembly of the Poor had a contingent of guards to serve as lookouts and to keep order. But this corps was very small compared to the PAD's equivalent. The Assembly recruits were members of the demonstrations not paid professionals. And they were unarmed or equipped with nothing more elaborate than a stick.
At the time the PAD moved to the airports, Sondhi Limthongkul stated that the PAD had 10,000 guards on shifts distributed among its protest sites. That figure might well have been exaggerated for effect, but the true number probably runs into thousands. Early in the campaign, Sondhi stated that the guards were mostly recruited among ex-policemen and ex-soldiers, and were paid by the day. Later on the PAD, imported units of guards from upcountry, especially from Chonburi, Rayong, Phetchaburi, and towns in the south. The looting that has been a hallmark of the PAD campaign suggests many were petty criminals. Some have said they came from "private armies".
Most guards were armed with simple weapons such as sticks, lengths of steel pipe, and sling shots. After the first invasion of Government House, over a hundred used golf clubs were confiscated. Photos have shown people wielding knives, machetes, and swords. A famous clip featured a PAD guard emptying a handgun on a major Bangkok thoroughfare. An Uzi machine gun was found in the car of one PAD leader's personal bodyguard, and may have been looted from a police cache in Government House. During the October 7 clash, a leader of the PAD guards was blown to pieces by a car full of bombs of some description. Vehicles have also been used as weapons. On October 7, a pickup deliberately drove over a policeman, and a bus was used to ram the police line. During the police's token appearance at Suvarnabhumi Airport, a truck was accelerated through the police line. Home-made bombs, shotguns, grenades, pistols, and explosives were found in the PAD vehicles.
... Until very late in the campaign, the PAD claimed to be acting in the tradition of non-violent protest. That was intellectually very dishonest. More recently the PAD leaders and backers have tried to claim that any violence committed was reactive, and blamed everything on the police. That was even more dishonest.
BP: At least we know Chang Noi will keep the Democrats honest, not so sure about the others at The Nation.
btw, on the October 7 car bomb incident. Video can be seen here - notice he is a long distance away from the attacks at Government House (can someone explain to me what the PAD site is suggesting, they seem to think it will be clear it is a government plot by watching the video). On the person who died, some saved notes from the time, TNA:
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Charnyut Suppachartwong, deputy director of Ramathibodi Hospital and Air Vice Marshal Dr. Wicharn Piewnim, head of the hospital's forensic department disclosed that the DNA investigation results of the body of the man, indicated that he died in the explosion near the Chart Thai party office on Tuesday during the clash between the police and anti-government protesters [BP: What clash?].
According the DNA test, the victim was identified as Pol. Lt-Col. Methee Chartmontri and that he died of the muscle injuries and burns from the bomb explosion. Shrapnel wounds were found all over his body.
The force of the explosion tore the victim's body into pieces and the remains were blown away from a Jeep Cherokee.
The Scientific Crime Detection Division will determine what kind of bomb it is, said Dr. Charnyut.
Meanwhile, another victim, whose body was thrown from a white Jeep Cherokee on Tuesday near the Chart Thai party headquarters on Sukhothai road, has been identified as a brother-in-law of Karoon Sai-ngarm, a leading PAD member and former senator.
Pol Col Somchai Choeyklin, superintendent of Dusit police station, said the victim was Pol Lt-Col Methee Chartmontri, a former crime suppression chief based in Buri Ram province [BP: Buriram connection!].
Pol Col Somchai quoted the victim's wife, Mrs Penpimol, as saying that her husband had left on Monday to join the PAD rally in Bangkok with his friends.
Pol Lt-Col Methee quit the police force in 2005 and later joined the PAD's Buri Ram network.
An initial investigation found the victim had carried bombs, said deputy police spokesman Pol Maj-Gen Surapol Tuanthong.
A source said Pol Lt-Col Methee played a leading role against the government.
Later that day, a Jeep Cherokee exploded and was engulfed in flames near the Chart Thai party headquarters. The body of a man, reported to be Pol Lt-Col Methee Chartmontri, a former crime suppression chief based in Buri Ram province, was thrown from the vehicle. He was a brother-in-law of Karoon Sai-ngarm, a leading PAD member and former senator.
This photo from the funeral - no idea on the source:
BP: I didn't save the caption, but Abhisit attended the funeral so from left to right you have Sondhi L, Abhisit and Anand P. How should we take Pornthip and others silence on what transpired with Pol. Col. Methee?
