IN THAILAND
THOUSANDS of Red Shirts began fanning out from their rally site at Pan Fah bridge on Rajadamnoen road shortly after 10am on Saturday, heading for eight locations – mostly temples – where army units were stationed, with the intent of forcing them to leave.
Dr Weng Tojirakarn had dropped a hint of this the previous afternoon when at the rally, he told me and other journalists it was not right for the army to use temples. But other than that there was little indication of this tactic until the announcement was made at 10am.
I could not be everywhere at once so I chose Nang Lerng. I walked for a while with the Red Shirt convoy towards Nang Lerng, where an army unit was camped in the race course stadium. The intersection is a strategic one, near Government House. Three roads meet in front of the main gate.
One of the three streets leading to the Nang Lerng intersection : all packed with Red Shirts.
ST PHOTO: Nirmal Ghosh.
I hopped on a motorcycle taxi again to burrow through the crowd, but soon it became too dense and I had to walk again. I wormed my way slowly through Red Shirts standing shoulder to shoulder and finally got to the gate of the complex, which was chained shut. All three roads leading to it were packed with red shirts.
A truck with Red Shirt leaders Nattawut Saikuar and Dr Weng aboard, was parked directly in front of the gate. Nattawut was haranguing the soldiers but also offering them safe passage. A path had been cleared for the soldiers to leave, with the Reds’ black clad guards linking arms and keeping the mass of the crowd under control. But there was little tension, many were cheering and clapping. In the procession behind, trucks were belting out rousing Isan music and some were dancing. Big freshly minted white banners were printed with English and Thai slogans emphasising peace and non-violence.
The small army unit inside the race course stadium were faced with around 6,000 Red Shirts outside.
ST PHOTO: Nirmal Ghosh.
At the gate, black clad guards locked arms to control the crowd.
ST PHOTO: Nirmal Ghosh.
A massive cheer went up when it was announced that the soldiers would leave. Peering through the gate I saw them loading their gear into trucks. Presently three trucks, one Humvee and one covered pickup lined up inside the gate, ready to roll. At around 1.30pm local time the gates were opened and the Humvee led the way out. The crowd was ecstatic. Some of the soldiers took pictures from the trucks.
The Red Shirts then began to disperse. Another army truck on the way to the race course was greeted with cheers, and the two to three soldiers inside waved back and wai'd to the Reds.
An army Humvee led the way out of the stadium a few minutes after 12.30pm.
ST PHOTO: Nirmal Ghosh.
One of the three army trucks leaving through a path left clear by the Red Shirts : wild cheers.
ST PHOTO: Nirmal Ghosh.
Similar reports came from the other sites which the Reds had besieged. It was an interesting tactic. There were just about 100 soldiers at the race course. Unarmed, they could do absolutely nothing with thousands of red shirts outside. If armed, they would have needed an excuse to disperse the crowd – and risk a full scale riot or even a massacre. That the Reds stayed peaceful was the key. The army’s pullouts were meant to ease tension, the spokesman has said. He is right, but it is also clear there was little alternative.
The question is how far the Red Shirts will take this tactic. Do they hope to emulate the Philippines’ People Power revolution of 1986 when gigantic unarmed crowds packed EDSA and faced down armed troops but the people won without a single shot being fired? Are they capable of it – or will the situation be allowed to reach that point? The struggle remains poised in the balance.
Deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban at a press conference in the headquarters of the 11th Infantry at 2pm Bangkok time, said "All military and police personnel exercised great politeness and flexibility when dealing with the people, and were able to avoid confrontation."
Separately the Tourism Authority of Thailand has just released a statement pointing out that most of Bangkok remains normal and shops and malls are open.