Friends of Newin faction to join Puea Thai

bangkokpost.com — (BangkokPost.com) - Most of the members of the Friends of Newin Chidchob faction will move to Puea Thai, the replacement party for the People Power Party (PPP), according to a faction member Boonjong Wongtrairat. He also dismissed reports that the faction would not back candidates from the dissolved PPP to be a prime minister. However, he said, the person suitable to be the new premier will have to be accepted by the society and will not cause further conflict in the country. Meanwhile, another faction member Chuwit Pitakpornpanlop insisted that members of the faction will not break to join parties other than Puea Thai. He said he supported the idea that the new prime minister comes from small political parties to avoid chaos, which could recur if the prime minister comes from the disbanded PPP. read more...

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Export heavily hit by airport closures

bangkokpost.com — (BangkokPost.com) – The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD)’s closure of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports had caused the export sector to lose about 3.5 billion baht of revenues a day, according to Thai exporters. About 900 tonnes of goods to be imported to Thailand had to be suspended, and the country also lost the opportunity to export almost 1,500 tonnes of goods when the PAD occupied both airports. Most of the products were agricultural items such as vegetables, fruits and flowers. 58-year-old exporter Raywat Wiboonsilp condemned the PAD for holding the Thai economy as a hostage. He criticised their action as wrongful since the Thai economy was also affected, not only politicians. read more...

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Constitution court begins after red shirt protesters try to block

nationmultimedia.com — The Constitution Court starts convening to hear closing statements for the party dissolution case at 10am under tight security after pro-government protesters surrounded the the court building. The court was initially scheduled to conduct the hearing at 9am at the Constitution Court building but it was shifted to the Supreme Administrative court on Chang Wattana road after the red shirt protesters on trucks and foot surrounded the buildings. Wearing red shirts and carrying clubs, they said they rallied against the convening of the Constituion Court Tuesday to prevent the reading of a verdict expected to lead to political changes and perhaps more turmoil. They also said they wanted to block the judges from entering the buildings. read more...

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Thai protesters to end airport blockade

iht.com — BANGKOK: Antigovernment protesters declared an end Tuesday to their week-long blockade of Bangkok's airports after a court disbanded the governing party for electoral fraud and forced out the country's third prime minister this year. Leaders of the banned party, the People Power Party, said they would reconstitute the government under another party name and hold on to power. But the protesters — who had also occupied the prime minister's office for more than three months — said they would end all their blockades as of Wednesday morning. "I'm glad, I feel relieved, it's like something that we have been carrying is now gone," said Tonkla Maksuk, 49, a volunteer nurse at the airport protest after the court issued its ruling. "I feel that this is still a country of laws." read more...

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Riot police gather at Thai airport

abc.net.au — Riot police are once again gathering near Bangkok's international airport where thousands of protesters are camped out demanding the Government resign. Eyewitnesses say about 60 police officers have assembled a block or so away from the main terminal at Suvarnabhumi international airport. Senior offices have been trying to negotiate with the leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) to end their occupation of the site, which has grounded hundreds of flights and stranded thousands of passengers. Local media organisations are reporting t read more...

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Chamlong: PAD movements worthwhile

bangkokpost.com — (BangkokPost.com) - One of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leaders, Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, on Thursday reiterated that the protesters will not leave Suvarnabhumi airport and Government House until Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat steps down. The PAD is moving in a right direction and its anti-government movements have been worthwhile when compared to the damage done to the economy, Maj-Gen Chamlong claimed. He also believed the government and the army would confront each other after the national army chief, Gen Anupong Paojinda, proposed for the government to dissolve the parliament. He said the PAD’s legal team would file an appeal after the Civil Court issued an injunction ordering the demonstrators to leave Suvarnabhumi airport immediately. read more...

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4 bomb attacks rock Bangkok

nationmultimedia.com — At least four rounds of bomb attacks rocked Bangkok early Wednesday, injuring at least 12 people. The number of explosions and injuries was still confusing at press time. Three explosions were heard outside the outbound passenger terminal of the Suvarnabhumi International Airport at 4:30 am. The explosion sounds frightened the protesters as police vehicles rushed to the scene. The protesters feared that police would come to violently disperse them. But their leaders managed to calm them down minutes later. Thai PBS reported that four protesters were injured, two severely in the Suvarnabhumi explosions. read more...

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Hide and seek for Thailand's Thaksin

atimes.com — BANGKOK - The world is shrinking for Thailand's former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as he seeks a new refuge in exile after recently being effectively banned from entering the United Kingdom. As the former premier's situation becomes more desperate, some fear it could spark new rounds of violence between his massed supporters and detractors in the Thai capital. The British government recently revoked the visa's of Thaksin and his wife Pojaman, preventing them from re-entering the country where they have resided in self-exile since fleeing Thailand in August after a tax evasion ruling carrying a three-year jail term was handed down against Pojaman. Thaksin was last month convicted to two years in prison on conflict of interest charges related to a case dating back to his tenure as premier. read more...

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