An Updated Summary of Crackdown on Red Shirt Demonstration in Bangkok During 13-16 May 2010_revised

8/9/2019 An Updated Summary of Crackdown on Red Shirt Demonstration in Bangkok During 13-16 May 2010_revised

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A brief summary of crackdown on Red Shirt demonstrationin Bangkok during 13-16May 2010 (As of 16 May)

Pipob Udomittipong ([email protected])

1. In brief, since 13 May, the government has launched the so called OperationRatchaprasong. Basically, all utilities feeding the area (electricity, tap water and even mobilephone signal have already been cut or jammed). Checkpoints have been set up in the perimeteraround the area for about five square kilometers to exclusively block any group/individual fromentering the protesting site and even to prevent the transportation of food and water inside therally site. Rubber and live rounds have been fired around the protesting site in three or fourmajor neighborhoods up to the area of Victory monument, Din Daeng, Klongtoey and Silom.Close to 200 casualties including 31 deaths, all of them civilians including one medic officer (shot

while wearing his medic uniform), one staff from private rescue team, and several Thaijournalists and one Canadian journalist (from France24), have been reported and confirmed by

the Erawan Center (part of the Ministry of Public Health and other concerned agencies).

2. Since 13 May, the firing by security officials has been made indiscriminately (at least asexplained by CNNs Dan River, please check out the video on cnn.com) against anyone,particularly the red shirts protesters. As a result, even staff from a medic team has been shotdead the night of 14 May while he was tending to some injured persons around VictoryMonuments area. This indiscriminate shootings are contradictory to the rule of engagement asspelled out and time and again reiterated by the government, particularly, Mr. Panitan

Wattanayakorn and the spokesperson of CRES (Center for Resolution of Emergency Situation)that only in cases purported for defending life of official or when the protesters are found to beusing weapons, then live rounds will be fired. Before, they have been claiming that live rounds

are fired only into the sky to scare people away. But many pictures and the high number ofcasualties as a result of gun wounds testify differently to their claim. Yesterdays afternoon, theyeven declared 500 meters parameter on Ratchaparop (Pratunam) just adjacent to the protestingsite a live firing zone meaning anyone found to trespass the area will be immediately shot bylive bullets (see Bangkok Post report attached). Later in the evening, they have removed such abanner, perhaps due to criticisms in media. Still not many people were brave enough to getaround the area and there have been reports of the protesters getting shot. According to thelatest Human Rights Watchs statement: By setting out these live fire zones, the Thaiauthorities are on a slippery slope towards serious abuses. Its a small step for soldiers to thinklive fire zone means free fire zone, especially as violence escalates.

(http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/05/15/thailand-revoke-live-fire-zones-bangkok)

3. All in all, special laws, particularly, the Emergency Decree on Government Administration inStates of Emergency B.E. 2548 (2005) has been invoked coupled with the normal CriminalProcedure Code. Almost 60 people have been arrested invoking the Emergency Decree. About40 of them have been convicted with the maximum penalties (not exceeding two years).

Yesterday, a magistrate court in Bangkok convicted 26 protesters rounded up during the 13-14May clashes in Bangkok to one year in jail with no suspension (reduced to six months due toguilty plea) (please see Bangkok Post report). Previously, at least four people known to be relatedto the Red Shirts have been arrested and still held in custody for breaches of the EmergencyDecree. No visits, no bail, no access to lawyers have been allowed.
mailto:[email protected]://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/05/15/thailand-revoke-live-fire-zones-bangkokhttp://www.hrw.org/en/news/2010/05/15/thailand-revoke-live-fire-zones-bangkokmailto:[email protected]


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A week ago, the Red Shirts legal team and their MPs have submitted a motion to theConstitutional Court asking the Court to review if the Decree is still applicable, since it was

issued by the virtue of 1997 Constitution which has been revoked since the coup in 2006.Unfortunately, the Court has made no ruling yet, not even to issue any injunction. Before, theRed Shirts lawyers have also asked the Civil Court to issue an injunction to stop the governmentfrom using lethal weapons to suppress the demonstration. The Court ruled that it is in noposition to interfere with the exercise of administrative power and the situation warrants suchoperation by the government.

4. Brutal suppression methods have been employed by the security officials. Apart from firinglive rounds against the protesters and anyone found to stumble in and around the area theydeclared off-limit, snipers have reportedly been installed in high-rises and the Sky Train aroundthe different areas of the protesting sites1. It has been reported that several of the Red Shirts

have been shot in their upper parts of the body by bullets with high velocity shot from above.Seh Daeng or Major General Khattiya Sawatdiphon, a renegade military general appearing tosupport the militant elements within the Red Shirts, has been shot the evening of 13 May andstill suffers severe headshot wounds and stays unconscious as result of the sniping. Extensiveaccount of the shooting can be found in international media, since he was shot while givinginterviews to international press (NY Times, VOA, Wall Street Journal, etc.). In fact, his bailshould have been revoked by the Court or the police before this shooting, since he had come outto instigate the protesters to reject the PMs roadmap and to take to militant approaches.(please see Peace hopes lost in a sea of confusion, Bangkok Post,http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/37392/peace-hopes-lost-in-a-sea-of-confusion).

5. The government has claimed live rounds have to be used as there are around 500 terroristshiding themselves among the protesters. But so far, no solid evidence has been established toprove that the Red Shirts have used any war weapons or have them in possession, apart from theuse of firework, bamboo spikes, rocks, Molotov Cocktails, and other improvised tools. The ratioof casualties is quite telling on this issue. So far, only four officials have died (all of them on 10

April), whereas the number of dead persons among the Red Shirts has increased to 21 (10 April)+ 31 (13-16 May) = 52 now. Since Operation Ratchaprasong has been launched, none of thesecurity officials have been shot or found to suffer any injury. But the government claimed thatduring the evening of 13 May, at the standoff in Pratunam (Ratchaparop), about four M79grenades were shot into the military squads stationed there. But there has been no report of

casualties among the officials so far. And during the night of 14 May, a dozen of protesters and

1 An Australian tourist handed over a copy of video clip of two men appearing like snipers onCharn Isara Tower opposite from Chulalongkorn Hospital.

The tourist gave the copy to reporters at 4:10 am.

The feed showed two men staying together with one man using a telescope to check movementsdown below.

The tourist said he saw red-shirt guards pointing at the building so he looked up and saw the twomen and shot the clip. (The Nation, 16 May 2010)
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/37392/peace-hopes-lost-in-a-sea-of-confusionhttp://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/37392/peace-hopes-lost-in-a-sea-of-confusionhttp://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/37392/peace-hopes-lost-in-a-sea-of-confusionhttp://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/37392/peace-hopes-lost-in-a-sea-of-confusion


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passersby have been shot dead by snipers. All of the dead bodies have been found unarmed. Afew were women, too.

The violence seems to have escalated since the protesters have been trying to break through thebarricades set up by security officials to join the remaining and fatigue protesters at the main rallysite at the Ratchaprasong intersection. There are probably a few thousands protesters left, mostlythose from the province. And the other protesters, mostly from within Bangkok, have tried tojoin with them though they have constantly been held back by fierce and indiscriminate shootingfrom the military. Now, the protesters decided to lay siege to three or three areas around the rallysite (Din Daeng, Klong Toey, Victory Monument) and the standoff with the officials continue asof now.

Later the morning of 16 May, there were rumours that the government was going to impose a

curfew ban. But in late afternoon, CRES came out to state that such a curfew ban will not beimposed now since it is not necessary and the situation is under their control.

PS: For anyone who still assumes the Red Shirts have been using war weapons, please consideremerging facts by reading and watching yourself from the links to video clips below. All majornews wires, internationally and nationally, have concurred in their reportage that the Red Shirtshave not been found to resort to the use of any war weapon despite the imminent threats they

were facing, whereas the security officials fire live rounds against them indiscriminately andworse they even employ snipers to shoot down cold-bloodedly the demonstrators. And havingthe snipers fail to justify the rule of engagement touted by the government that the live firingis meant for self-defence and retaliation against armed persons, since the snipers are in hiding

and their safety could not be compromised to the extent that they have to fire.

Here is a video clip showing military sniper in operation. At the very end of the video, thelookout told the sniper that the target was hit and fell down, yet the sniper continued shootinganother shot and so the lookout hit softly on his head:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X23FrUrJZdU

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8684319.stm from BBC, the report confirmedthe protesters were only using firework and slingshots.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8684581.stm An Australian resident in Bangkok

who lives near Silom told in this video that the protesters were unarmed.

Meanwhile, Aljazeeras report confirms the military has been shooting indiscriminately againstpeople.

Al Jazeera's Aela Callan, also reporting from Bangkok, said television footage appeared to showtroops were firing indiscriminately, with reporters covering the protests being shot at in someincidents.http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/05/201051513638905775.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCdenZfR0HA This clip was posted by horriblethailand

on 15 May 15 and the description goes There was a woman who was going to her home but shewill never arrived because that bullet has taken her life away from her family forever. Sorry for
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X23FrUrJZdUhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8684319.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8684581.stmhttp://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/05/201051513638905775.htmlhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCdenZfR0HAhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCdenZfR0HAhttp://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2010/05/201051513638905775.htmlhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8684581.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8684319.stmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X23FrUrJZdU


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my abusive language in the clip it happened that way because I was pissed that they shot the firstaid unit who went to secure her life but its too late because finally she died...

In the clip, you will hear a lady who was so angry and swearing the army for not letting anyone tocome and help the wounded lady who fell down in the middle of the road. There have been

reports that people have been shot, but the medic teams have been too scared to get in andcollect their bodies for treatment immediately since one of their staff has been shot dead. Similarto Nelson Rand from France24, he was not immediately taken to hospital since the military didnot stop firing, and it was the Red Shirt guards who risked their lives to drag him out.

CNNs Dan River reporting that there were snipers among the army and the Red Shirts onlyusing slingshots and rocks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btp-wUvNXuM

Thai troops opened fire on protesters after a military lockdown of their rally site in the heart ofthe capital sparked fierce clashes that left three people dead and at least 46 wounded

Picture: Ap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btp-wUvNXuMhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btp-wUvNXuM


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Troops were seen shooting into Lumpini Park which, in normal times, is a quiet refuge and

popular exercise spot in the city centre (two Red Shirts protesters were later found dead in thepark. Their bodies were not recovered until three hours past since no one dared to get inside thepark while the security officials were still firing.)

Picture: AFP/GETTY

Documents

An Updated Summary of Crackdown on Red Shirt Demonstration in Bangkok During 13-16 May 2010_revised