She believed there were more than two people who cammanded the crowd dispersal and raised five questions:
1. Why were there police in many locations?
2. How did the police procure the weapons and tear gas?
3. Had the police been properly trained to use weapons and tear gas?
4. Why did the police fire about a hundred shotsof tear gas?
5. Why did the police disperse the group of protesters in the evening again?
source bangkok post
Speaking on National Police Day, Pol Gen Patcharawat also paid homage at the King Rama IV Monument and made merit for policemen and people who died during the riot last week.
After the religious ceremony, the national police chief said he felt sorry about the incident on Oct 7, which left two dead and more than 400 injured.
He then reminded the police to continue to work hard, protect the royal institution and democracy, and be dependable for the public.
Concerning the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD)’s plan to file a lawsuit against police unlawful use of force to disperse the demonstrators, Pol Gen Patcharawat said the government will have to take care of its state agencies, but the investigation result must be revealed first.
Meanwhile at the Royal Thai Police Headquarters on Rama I Road, about 500 people led by former Police Department director Salang Bunnag gathered at the main entrance to voice their support to the police.
Pol Gen Salang said he has not withdrawn the plan to take over Government House from the PAD and return it to the government. He insisted no matter what happen after the operation, he will take the full responsibility.
Pol Gen Salang said he could not bear to see Thailand losing its reputation.
source bangkok post
On the occasion of the National Police Day on Monday, Pol Gen Patcharawat paid homage to King Rama IV Monument and made merit for the policemen and people who died during the riot last week.
After the religious ceremony, the national police chief said he felt sorry about the incident on October 7, which left two dead and over 400 injured.
He then reminded the police to continue to work at their utmost, protect the royal institution and democracy, and be dependable for the public.
Concerning the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD)’s plan to file a lawsuit against the police for allegedly using forceful means to disperse the demonstrators, Pol Gen Patcharawat said the government will have to take care of its state agencies, but the investigation result must be revealed first.
Meanwhile at the Royal Thai Police Headquarters on Rama I Road, about 500 people led by former Police Department director Salang Boonnag gathered at the main entrance to voice their support to the police.
Pol Gen Salang said he has not withdrawn the plan to take over Government House from the PAD and return to the government. He insisted no matter what happen after the operation, he will take the full responsibility.
Pol Gen Salang said he could not bear to see Thailand losing its reputation.
source bangkok postArmy Commander-in-Chief Gen Anupong Paojinda became the latest public figure to join a chorus of calls for the government to show responsibility for the Oct 7 crackdown on the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protesters which left two people dead and more than 400 injured.
Yet, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat has persistently resisted the calls, although he said last week that he would consider a response at an appropriate time.
Obviously, the embattled premier wants to buy time to delay his decision to show responsibility until an investigation into the tragic event by an independent truth commission is completed.
But time may not be on his side. Instead, it is running out fast. The prime minister may be forced to stand down, not because of a military putsch or because of a Constitution Court order to dissolve the People Power party on electoral fraud charges, but because of a verdict of the National Counter Corruption Commission, which is due tomorrow or Thursday, relating to a decade-long malfeasance case against the prime minister.
To sum up, the case was brought to public attention in 1998 by a chief judge of a panel of the Criminal Court. It referred to the auction of a plot of land in Thanyaburi district of Pathum Thani conducted by the Legal Execution Department under the supervision of the department's deputy director-general, Manit Suthaporn.
It was alleged Mr Manit had not properly performed his duty for failing to demand 43 million baht in tax from the successful bidder for the land deal. Also, Mr Manit had returned the 70 million baht deposit posted by the bidder to the land owner after the first auction was scrapped following the bidder's failure to come up with the money to close the deal. It was discovered afterward by the NCCC that Mr Manit had received 10,000 shares as a favour in return for services rendered. Mr Somchai was then deputy permanent secretary for justice and Suthas Ngernmuen of the Democrat party was then the justice minister.
Instead of being complimented for his whistle-blowing by his superiors in the judiciary and the Justice Ministry, the intrepid judge, who had no business whatever to do with the deal or with the Legal Execution Department, received threats, intimidation and even offers of bribes to have his case withdrawn. Unperturbed he pressed on and a probe was finally ordered and headed by a vice president of the Supreme Court who also worked under heavy pressure.
The probe was completed two years afterward with the Legal Execution Department, instead of Mr Manit, being faulted for the failure to claim the 43 million baht land sale tax for the state. The probe panel also recommended that the case must be followed up to ensure that someone be held accountable for the tax loss.
The case was then swept under the carpet and Mr Manit was promoted to deputy permanent secretary for justice whereas Mr Somchai was named the permanent secretary. Disappointed by the negative response from Mr Somchai, the judge decided to take the case against both Mr Somchai and Mr Manit to the NCCC.
It wasn't until the Surayud government took power in 2006 that the NCCC finished the probe against Mr Manit, who was faulted with malfeasance in office. He was eventually fired without any pension in the same year by Gen Surayud's government.
But the case against Mr Somchai who was accused of negligence of duty for his failure to follow up with action against Mr Manit is still pending with the NCCC. A sub-committee headed by Klanarong Chantik has already completed its probe into Mr Somchai's role and has made a recommendation to the NCCC board which is due to deliver its final ruling this week.
The timing of the verdict could not be more appropriate given the growing chorus for the embattled prime minister to show responsibility for the Oct 7 bloodletting.
Instead of a coup to force political change which will further exacerbate Thailand's faltering image in the international community, the NCCC should provide a better alternative solution. And there is no reason for the NCCC board to postpone its crucial ruling.
If faulted for gross negligence related to a graft case, the only penalty to be meted out is dismissal from service. As such Mr Somchai's qualifications as an MP will be in doubt in accordance with Article 102 (6) of the Constitution. And since he is an MP, his status as prime minister will be in jeopardy too.
source bangkok postThe People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has called off the Monday rally at police headquarters - so leaders can attend the cremation ceremonies for two supporters killed during clashes with authorites last Tuesday. Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat pleaded for calm.
Chamlong Srimuang, a PAD core leader, said on Sunday night that a new date will be set for the anti-police demonstration.
Mr Somchai said he would gladly resign - but there was no sign that resignation would calm the political climate.
For one day at least, the decision to call off a mass rally near Siam Square against the police calmed fears of another bloody clash.
Police had called in reinforcements and had 1,350 officers guarding their headquarters. They sealed off the two entrances on Henri Dunant and Rama I roads. PAD supporters and pro-government supporters from the provinces were also heading for Bangkok for the confrontation.
The PAD's rival, the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), was stationed at Sanam Luang on Sunday where their security guards underwent training.
A short while before the PAD announcement, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat made a 10-minute nationwide announcement on television calling on anti-government demonstrators to end their protests, give up their occupation of Government House and clear the streets and allow his government to fully function.
PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul told demonstrators the planned rally would be postponed for a few days until the completion of the funeral rites for Angkhana Radappanyawut and Pol Lt-Col Methee Chartmontri.
Angkhana, 28, who died while being taken from the site of the clash at the Royal Plaza to Ramathibodi hospital, will be cremated at Wat Sri Prawat in Bang Kruai district in Nonthaburi on Monday. Pol Lt-Col Methee's cremation ceremony is set for Tuesday.
"We just learned about Angkhana and Methee's cremations and we don't want the rally [at police headquarters] to overshadow these very important events. We want the ceremonies to be the grandest," Mr Sondhi said.
"We want today (Monday) and tomorrow to be the biggest days for our late heroine and hero. Their funerals are far more important than the massive rally at police headquarters," he added.
All the PAD leaders will attend Angkhana's cremation ceremony, where a large number of PAD supporters are also expected.
Mr Somchai said in his address to the country that the government needed to work out plans to cope with the looming global economic crises that originated in the United States but would inevitably expand to Asia.
Business sectors would feel the "appalling" impact of the economic downturn and the country needed to be prepared, he said.
The government must also stay in office to perform many important functions, including the funeral of Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana next month, the birthday celebrations for His Majesty the King in December that traditionally uses Government House as a venue, and the summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), also in December.
Thailand is chairing the 10-member group. Thai people need to show unity among themselves, pay respect to the royal institution and show the country's readiness to host the Asean summit, he added.
In response to calls for his resignation, Mr Somchai said he would neither resign nor dissolve the House unless those options would lead to a political solution.
He also expressed sorrow for the fatal crackdown on demonstrators last Tuesday and said some demonstrations breached the law and his elected government had to be answerable to the public and enforce the law.
The government already formed two committees. One panel will quickly find out the facts surrounding the Oct 7 incident and the other committee will work out ways to compensate affected people and damaged properties, including those affected and damaged before last Tuesday's unrest.
He said Deputy Prime Minister Chavarat Charnveerakul had been appointed to chair the committee to rehabilitate the victims, and Preecha Panitchwong, a former Supreme Administrative Court judge, was selected to be the chairman to probe the violent crackdown last Tuesday.
source
The Democrat party on Sunday demanded that Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat step down to show responsibility for last Tuesday's fatal street clashes, the failing economy and what the opposition calls the shaky democratic system.
Bangkok MP Ongart Klampaiboon said Mr Somchai, also defence minister, must show responsibility for the "three crises" especially after Friday's remarks by the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army, Gen Anupong Paochinda, who urged the government to take responsibility for last Tuesday's police crackdown on protesters backed by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).
Gen Anupong's remarks have caused an uncertain atmosphere and there is no guarantee that the military will not stage a coup d'etat, said Mr Ongart.
Two persons died and nearly 500 others were injured in the clashes as police fired tear gas at protesters trying to block the government from parliament.
Mr Somchai must accelerate his resignation decision before the "three crises damage the country, himself and all of us," Mr Ongart said.
Mr Somchai has stated several times that he will not resign.
Concerning criticism that the Democrat party was irresponsible for its boycotted of parliament, Mr. Ongart said members of his party decided not to attend the meeting because of the clash in front of the building.
If that meeting had been postponed, the clash could have been averted, he said.
Democrat assistant to the secretary-general Thepthai Senpong demanded that coalition partners resign, to isolate the ruling People Power party (PPP), which cannot control a majority in the Lower House.
The PPP must have evaluated that the military would not stage a coup and, therefore, the coalition government cannot be toppled, and divisiveness has spread among the people throughout the country, according to Mr Thepthai.
Democrat's shadow deputy prime minister Kasit Pirom urged the government to disclose where it bought the weapons used by police last week.
Northern members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) coalition plan to join the anti-government activists Monday for their planned rally at Thailand's police headquarters to demand that the police take responsibility for excessive violence in reaction to the street protests which left two person dead and others injured earlier this week.
PAD northern region secretary-general Somchoke Chanthong said PAD members in the north have been informed of the intended protest so that they might join it.
Many northern PAD members left for Bangkok on Friday, and more are expected to travel on Saturday and Sunday, he said.
Mr Somchoke said people in other parts of the country are now more sympathetic to PAD following Tuesday's widely publicised protests at parliament and at Bangkok Metropolitan Police headquarters.
Insisting that the police must take responsibility for using violence on Tuesday, PAD leader Somsak Kosaisuk told journalists that the PAD will distribute a booklet entitled 'Police kill people' to passers-by on Bangkok streets so that the public know the PAD's view of facts behind the Tuesday's incidents.
Mr Somsak said the planned rally at police headquarters was intended to draw attention to the misuse of violence as applied by the police during the Tuesday clash between PAD and riot police, but is not intended to blockade the premises.
The rally will take place peacefully, he said, but he could not say for how long as the PAD leadership must consult with one another and gather inputs for their conclusion from those participating in the protest.
Mr Somsak added that the PAD would go ahead with filing a lawsuit against police for their violent behaviour.
Regarding remarks made Friday by former deputy police chief Pol Gen Salang Bunnag that he would recruit
former police officers and form a force to retake Government House from the PAD, Mr. Somsak said the PAD would defend themselves although the group does not want to see violence.
The so-called democracy coalition has occupied Government House since August 26.
