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Nirmal Ghosh
Thailand Correspondent
LIVE: Protesters disperse
April 14, 2009 Tuesday, 12:07 PM
Follow Nirmal Ghosh as he reports live from Bangkok with the latest on the ground.
11.50am Thailand time (12.50pm Singapore time) - The reds are dispersing, to rousing music & dousing each other with water to celebrate Songkran. A Potentially disastrous situation has been averted.
11.40am Thailand time (12.40pm Singapore time) - Red shirt leader Vera Musikapong is asking all protesters to leave Government House which they have been occupying. He said this was in the interest of saving people's lives and that they will fight later. 11.05am Thailand time (12.05pm Singapore time) - The reds have now pulled back, abandoning the first line of defence. 11.00am Thailand time (12pm Singapore time) - Army about to mount final push up Phitsanulok. Large force with APCs. Red lines 150m away, then another line further 150m. Locals are telling red shirts to leave soi 3 side lane where I am with some other journalists. We are between the two red lines. Some 2000 reds still at Government House up the road to our left. Army massed to our right. Reds have set fire to bus, thick black smoke & small explosions. Army officer appeared inside soi & told all of us to come in to get away from main road. Reds have LPG cylinder with tyre round it & petrol bomb next to it, at their first front line. Army has been telling reds all night through loudspeakers to leave. Most have, only had core remains here. Locals now trying to block off mouth of soi to somhow avoid the pitched battle about to start. Tags: bangkok, politics, protest 
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I think the real hero here is Vera. Thaksin would probably have told the remaining reds at Government House to keep on fighting till the last man in hopes that the military would use excessive force and delegitimize the government. Vera placed the lives of his followers above victory (slim chance) or martyrdom (very likely). He also had the decency to surrender to the police to take responsibility for his actions, knowing full well that he would not be treated as leniently as the yellows were.
I don;t think anyone can claim they see the "big" pics. Neither am i. Should the govt prosecute credit card company/bank as most ppl are spending beyond their mean? Its reasonable for Thaksin govt to setup a fund for the poor, borrow money, setup small business & improve their lifestyle. Have you seen how poor these ppl are? Do you think rural ppl can't think? They don't follow blindly, they can be smarter than those eductaed ppl. "someone" claimed that UK govt have edvident & banned Thaksin from UKetc ... don't think too highly on brits ...many mistake & problem are created by them ..... welll all for your thoughts
I think many "outsiders" have misconception about Thai politics. Let's analyze these situations before you even question the integrity of the current government,...
a) The PAD (yellow-shirts) broke the law during PM Somchai tenure who was more occupied looking for ways to clear his bro-in-law instead of running the country,
b) As Thai law stipulates, one has to re-act his/her wrongdoing in order to be charged. The previous "dummy" government has done nothing to gather evidence which can be used to prosecute the PAD. The Abhisit government is obviously much smarter,
c) Thaksin helping the poor??? He did indeed help the poor to spend beyond their means and accumulate huge debts. Protests by farmers were rampant and Thaksin's government just wrote off these debts. Can you accept such ridiculous policy if you are one of those who worked very hard and yet paying your due taxes?
d) The Reds are definitely not fighting for democracy as claimed by fighting hard to incite trouble and destroy the country. All that has happened were designed to force the Thai King to interfere and Thaksin will be able to come home.
All being said, I honestly believed that the Reds, the Pheu Thai MPs and fugitive Thaksin should be charged with treason against a sovereign state of Thailand
The military's actions against the Red-Shirts are a clear proof of the DOUBLE STANDARD that the Brutal Ruling Elite is applying to their people. I'm sure the peace will not come back soon if the Military continues to turn blind eyes to the Thai people's demands for democracy and equal treatment, and reject to recognize that in this new age of cyberworld, no truth can be hidden!
does that mean the end of Thaksin? Why prosecute "red Shirts" leader when "yellow shirts" get away a few months ago and even a few were appointed as Minister(s). Well, looking back, ask yourself, which Thai PM actually help the poor? Thaksin did bring fortune to Thai but eventually destory by "??" ... guess who's calling