| |
12.00 am
Some 500 people gather at Makawan Rangsan Bridge opposite UN headquarter buidling with a plan to walk to the Royal Plaza where they plan to stage anti-Thaskin rally.
|
|
|
| |
1.50 pm
Protesters led by People's Alliance for Democracy start marching to the Royal Plaza. Some 400 police, both uniform and plaincloth, guard the barricades erected last night.
|
|
|
| |
2.15 pm
First group of protesters arrive at the Rat the Royal Plaza and manage to enter the Royal Plaza compound. Police try to block them but fail. More protesters follow.
At first police do not allow trucks equipped with amplifiers to the Royal Plaza compound. However police finally permit the trucks to enter. Protesters cheer and thank you police. |
|
|
| |
2.20 pm
Suriyasai Katasila, secretary of Campaign for Popular Democracy, says police allow protesters to use the Royal Plaza on the condition that their rally starts at 4pm and finishes at midnight. He says the rally organisers will follow that condition. If they drag the rally to beyond midnight, the public will blame them for not keeping the promise. |
|
|
| |
2.31 pm
Commando police armed with batons and shield watch and take no action as all protesters pour into the Royal Compound. They do nothing as protesters start erecting stage in preparation for their rally scheduled to start at 4pm.
|
|
|
| |
2.33 pm
Police start leaving the compound where was crowded with protesters. They gather outside the barricades.
|
|
|
| |
3 pm
Metropolitan Police Commander Pol Maj Gen Pramoj Pathumwongse says police allow trucks with amplifers to enter the Royal Plaza but drivers of the trucks will be charged because their trucks obstruct the traffic and use the amplifiers without permissions. A fine for the first charge is Bt500 and Bt200 for the second, he says.
|
|
|
| |
3.05 pm
Some 5,000 people rally in support of Thaksin at the Ubol Rachathani Provincial Hall. |
|
|
| |
3.50 pm
ASTV satellite TV station reports that a group of academics and people hold rally at the Yamo Statute in Nakhon Ratchasima in support of the Royal Plaza rally. |
|
|
| |
4 pm
Khon Kaen people rally at the Kaen Nakhon lake to watch live broadcast of the Royal Plaza rally. |
|
|
| |
4.03 pm
Suriyasai alleges that Thaksin's offer for public referandum on charter amendment is apolitical trap. He said the Thai Rak Thai Party has prepared to enter its people to contest for Senate seats on April 19. |
|
|
| |
4.09 pm
Suriyasai says PAD demands Thaksin to resign first or else people groups will never negotiate with the government.
|
|
|
| |
4.40 pm
Samran Rodphet, an announcer, addresses people at the rally site. The rally is formally kicked off.
|
|
|
| |
4.45 pm
An announcer on the stage asks people to rally peacefully. |
|
|
| |
4.48 pm
Suwat Watnu, a speaker, asks demonstrators to applaud in an apology to National Police Chief Kowit Watana who was booed by protesters when he walked through the rally. |
|
|
| |
4.52pm
Suwait announces that several senators and leaders of various groups will appear on the stage to criticise Thaksin. they include Somsak Pongpanit, a lecturer of Rajabhat Institute, Suriyasai and Secretary General of Students Federation of Thailand Kochawan Chaibutr. |
|
|
| |
4.54 pm
Police issue tickets for all vehicles including those of television stations, that park along the roads in front of the Royal Plaza for obstructing the traffic. |
|
|
| |
5.24 pm
Protesters applaudes when a State Enterprise Union leader Phien Yong-nu said that Thaksin is stubborn for refusing to resing. |
|
|
| |
6.15 pm
Sondhi Limthongkul, owner of Manager Group, takes the stage and vows to stay with PAD with an ultimate goal to oust Thaksin from the premiership. |
|
|
| |
6.30 pm
A man distributes leaflets which reportedly denounce the rally at the Royal Plaza. Some protesters try to stop him by using force. An announcer on the stage tell people to calm down. Police whisk him away and the rally is informed that he is taken to Dusit Police station. |
|
|
| |
6.45 pm
Pipop Thongchai, a member of PDA, president of Campaign for Popular Democracy, says Thaksin has abused authority and has lost chance to be stateman and became, he pauses and the crowd shout "tyrant."An announcer said Senator Kraisak Choonhavan arrives at the rally. |
|
|
| |
6.57 pm
An announcer says the Royal Plaza is fully occupied. |
|
| |
7.11 pm
An announcer reads a statement from the Metropolitan Police Bureau that the bureau thanks the demonstrators for rallying peacefully. The bureau also asks the people to alert it immediately if an untoward incident happens. |
|
|
| |
7.32 pm
7:32 pm: Somsak Kosaisuk, a state union leader, says Thaksin is shameless for avoiding paying taxes. People roar with boos.
|
|
|
| |
7.36 pm
Demonstrators raise hands when Somsak Kosaisuk asks if they agree that Thaksin should resign.
|
|
|
| |
7.38 pm
People shout “get out, get out,” in English when an announcer asks them to show in English for foreign media to witness.
|
|
|
|
7.42 pm
Withoon Ua-jamroon, a foreign trade specialist, tells the crowds that some 6 million cattle farmers have been affected by Thaksin’s approval of free trade agreement with Australia. |
|
|
| |
7.44 pm
People shout "don't want, don't want," when Withoon said, "FTA, FTA." |
|
|
| |
7.52 pm
Kochawan Chaibutr, the SFT president, tells the crowds that Thaksin has lost out his time to negotiate with the people. She says she has committed wrongdoing and lost legitimacy and has no ethic following the sale of Shin Corp and avoided paying taxes.
|
|
|
| |
7.55 pm
Kochawan says the Constitution should be amended to allow check-and-mechanism bodies to function with efficiency without interfence. |
|
|
| |
8.06 pm
Sondhi and Sarocha Porn-udomsak go up on the stage to address the people the cheer of the crowds. He lambasted iTV for earlier reporting that he has fled abroad. |
|
|
| |
8.11 pm
Sondhi challenges Thaksin to go on TV to debate.
|
|
|
| |
8.16 pm
Sondhi says Thaksin has allegedly cheated and abused power to earn the 19 million votes he often cited as supporting him.
|
|
|
| |
8.18 pm
Sondhi says Thaksin entered politics to protect his businesses he had earned through political connections.
|
|
|
| |
8.24 pm
Sondhi says Thaksin abused administration power to help his businesses, including AIS and ThaiAirAsia.
|
|
|
| |
8.28 pm
:Sondhi says Thaksin asks foreign government to book services of his IP Star satellite in exchange for trade benefits with Thailand
|
|
|
| |
8.33 pm
Sondhi says Thaksin has brought shame to the country by laundering his shares and money at the British Virgin Islands.
Yim says:
|
|
|
| |
8.38 pm
Sondhi alleges that Thaksin is corrupted by power and ordered Police Commissioner Pol Gen Kowit Wattana and Metropolitan Police chief Wiroj Chantharangsi to prevent the rally at the Royal Plaza . He countered Thaksin's allegations that he had to seek loans from banks, saying yes, Thaksin did not need to seek loans from bank because he got Bt7.3 billion in cash without paying taxes.
|
|
|
| |
8.50 pm
Sondhi alleges that Thaksin betrays the country by selling national businesses to Singapore.
|
|
|
| |
8.57 pm
An announcer reads a statement from the Sajjatham Party of Ramkhamhaeng University, demanding Thaksin to resign. The party
will gather signatures of voters to seek an impeachment of Thaksin.
|
|
|
| |
8.59 pm
The announcer says the rally is watched by people nationwide through satellite broadcast beamed to satellite receivers at many spots where people gather to watch.
|
|
| |
9.03 pm
Several senators go up on the stage, including Chirmsak Pinthong, Maleerat Kaewka, Pichet Phattanachote, Karun Sai-ngarm, Wongphan na Takuathoong, Kraisak Chonhavan, and Winyu Lakul.
|
|
|
|
9.06 pm
The announcer announces that Angkhana Neelapaichit, the wife of abducted lawyer Somchai Neelapaichit, comes to the back of the stage. |
|
|
| |
9.08 pm
Chirmsak Pinthong, a senator, tells the crowds that he has never trusted Thaksin from the beginning. He says Thasin’s assets has been growing during the past five years.
|
|
|
| |
9.09 pm
Chirmsak predicts that Thaksin will not survive as the prime minister after such big rallies. He says no prime ministers in the past faced as severe attacks as Thaksin. “No prime ministers in the past have been accused of betraying the country or cheating the country”.
|
|
|
| |
9.13 pm
Chirmsak says Thaksin will not survive until the end of this month. People roar with shouts “get out, get out, get out, get out”.
Yim says:
|
|
|
| |
9.16 pm
Chaiwat Sinsuwong, former Palang Dharma Party leader, goes up on stage to speak.
|
|
|
| |
9.19 pm
Chaiwat asks the people to function as lamps to shine and bring truth to the public about Thaksin.
|
|
|
| |
9:24 pm
Chaiwat says Thaksin asked for permission from Chamlong Srimuang to leave the Palang Dharma ten years ago because of tension caused to his family. But now Thaksin caused tension to his children. He asks people to rise up against Thaksin regime. |
|
|
|
| |
9:47 pm
Chaiwat says Thaksin asked for permission from Chamlong Srimuang to leave the Palang Dharma ten years ago because of tension caused to his family. But now Thaksin caused tension to his children. He asks people to rise up against Thaksin regime. |
|
| |
|
| |
9:56 pm
Sirichai says Thaksin cannot be allowed to stay because he plans to privatise profitable state firms. . |
|
|
| |
10.14 pm
Somkiat Pongpaiboon, lecturer from Rajabhat Institute Nakhon Ratchasima, goes up on stage. He says signs that the “Thaksinomic” regime have come out. As a sign, Thaksin’s men organized rallies of supporters. As another sign, state TVs blacked out reports of anti-government rallies. |
|
|
| |
10.30 pm
Somkiat says the current rally is similar to rallies in Philippines which topped president Estrada. |
|
|
| |
10.36 pm
Senator Pichet Phattanachote greets audience nationwide in regional dialects. The crowds roar with boos when Pichet quotes Thaksin as saying he has never done bad to the country. |
|
|
|
| |
10.52 pm
Dr Wutthipong Piabjariyawat goes up on the stage to attack Thaksin. He says the Shinawatra-Damapong families have robbed the people to reap wealth worth hundreds of thousands of billions of baht. |
|
|
|
| |
10.59 pm
Wutthipong says Thaksin has Export-Import Bank lend loans to the Burmese government so that Burma can lease transponders of Thaksin’s IP Star satellite. |
|
|
| |
10.07 pm
Senator Karun Sai-ngam tells the demonstrators that it has been all clear that Thaksin has cheated and betrayed the country and deserved to be denounced as a tyrant.
|
|
|
| |
10.25 pm
Supinya Klannarong, secretary general for Campaign for Media Reform. Shin Corps have sued her on a defemation suit, seeking Bt100 million of compensation. People roar with boos when Supinya says iTV, which is supposed to a free TV for the people, has become a property of a Singapore firm. She says if Thaksin remains in power, all TV stations will be turned into assets of foreign investors. She urges the people to fight to take back all TV stations and radio stations as media to really serve the public.
|
|
|
| |
11.54 pm
Sondhi returns to the stage. Sondhi announces that the PAD will rally at Sanam Luang on February 26.
If we don’t win, we won’t stop," he says. |
|
|
| |
10.59 pm
Sondhi reads from the statement of the PAD, saying the PAD votes unanimously to have its members launch nationwide campaigns to bring people to rally at Sanam Luang on February 26.The rally is called “Give us back Thailand”.
|
|
|
| |
0.01pm
Sondhi leads the demonstrators to light up candles.The organiser plays the Yam Raksa Paendin (Protectors of the mother land) song while people are holding the candles.
|
|
|
| |
0.04 pm
The organiser plays the Royal Anthem in honour of His Majesty the King. The protesters disperse peacefully.
|
|
| |
Thank you for staying with us. See you on February 26.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
