Red Shirts at ASEAN Summit in Pattaya

[Sparky]

Protesters break into press centre of Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, all meetings cancelled

Protesters smashed windows of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel at 12:55 pm and went inside the press centre, terrifying both local and foreign reporters.

Soldiers watched helplessly as the protesters walked inside the press centre and shouted demands for Prime Minister Ahbisit Vejjajiva to resign.

The protesters kept on walking into the inner part of the hotel where some foreign leaders were holding a meeting.

All the remaining meeting were cancelled immediately, TNN News agency reported on UBC channel live.
The Nation

[Surawut]

State of Emergency in part of Thailand

The Thai Prime Minister has declared a State of Emergency in Pattaya, where a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was due to be held.

Abhisit Vejjajiva said 'The task for me and the government now is to provide security for the leaders to travel back home safely.'

The summit had been scheduled to start in the resort this morning.

It has now been effectively cancelled, as today's session was called off and there will not now be a final session which was due tomorrow.

The decision came after a large group of anti-government demonstrators stormed the hotel which was to be the media centre for the summit.

-- Agencies 2009-04-11

[Surawut]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...section=justin

Summit cancelled amid Thai protests

By South East Asia correspondent Karen Percy, wires

Posted 1 hour 14 minutes ago
Updated 33 minutes ago
Thaksin's supporters rush security

Confrontation... supporters of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra attempt to break through Thai riot policemen during a protest on Friday. (AFP)

Thailand has cancelled a summit of East Asian countries after hundreds of red-shirted anti-government protesters overran the hotel hosting the summit in the resort town of Pattaya.

The protesters pushed through the military cordon, broke through the glass doors of the media centre and stormed their way into the main convention area for the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.

Taxis continue to blockade the site.

The protesters, supporters of former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, have been demanding the current Prime Minister Abhasit Vejjajiva step down.

Four months ago he came into office after their elected government was forced out by a court ruling.

Thirteen regional leaders are currently at the summit venue. They are understood to be safe.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was due to arrive at the summit today.

The Thai government says it will try to hold the summit again in two to three months.

There are reports that a protester was shot at by group of armed blue-shirted men who have been hanging around the perimeter of the venue.

The government says it is investigating the claims.

[Surawut]

What a major loss of face for Thailand and for Abhisit and his inept, pathetic "government". Security arrangements are obviously non-existent in Pattaya when a rag-tag mob armed with little more than plastic hand clappers can get into the hotel, to within a few metres of where some leaders were conducting a meeting.

That the Redshirts were able force the cancellation of ASEAN from within the venue is a national disgrace.

If Abhisit had any decency and honour he would accept responsibility for the whole sorry debacle and resign as PM.

The Thaksin clan will fall asleep with smiles on their faces tonight.

[Richard Barrow]

Red-shirts disperse following state of emergency

Arisman Pongruangron told red-shirted protesters to disperse from the Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel, TNN reported at 1:58 pm. Arisman said the red-shirted had scored a victory to prevent the Asean summit so they no longer needed to occupy the hotel.

The Nation

Natthawut declares victory, tells red-shirts to leave Pattaya for Bangkok

Natthawut Saikua, a leader of the red-shirted movement, declared victory for the Pattaya battle and told the protesters to leave the town and head back to Bangkok. "The war in Pattaya was over now. Since we have gained victory, all red-shirted people in Pattaya will return to join the rally in front of the Government Hous," Natthawut said.

The Nation

[KhaoNiaw]

If Abhisit had any decency and honour he would accept responsibility for the whole sorry debacle and resign as PM.

The Thaksin clan will fall asleep with smiles on their faces tonight.

Yes, I reckon it makes Abhisit's position untenable.

Actually, I think if Abhisit called a quick election he would benefit from a degree of sympathy. Still, I think it would come out with PT and Democrats roughly equal and relying on Nevin. Will Reds accept an elected government if it doesn't include PT? Thaksin couldn't afford that, he would have to keep things mobilised somehow.

[Surawut]

State of emergency in Thailand after summit stormed

PATTAYA, Thailand (AFP) — Thailand's prime minister on Saturday declared a state of emergency in the beach resort of Pattaya and the surrounding province of Chonburi after protesters stormed a regional summit.

"The government has a duty to take care of the leaders who will depart from Thailand," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in an address on Thai television.

"In this extremely serious situation, the government has decided to impose a state of emergency in Pattaya and Chonburi to deal with the situation."

Government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the state of emergency was to ensure the security of leaders attending the regional talks "and to restore normalcy to the area".

"As soon as the situation is under control the state of emergency will be lifted," he told local television.

Helicopters also began evacuating foreign leaders from the roof of the hotel, AFP reporters and police said.

Philippines President Gloria Arroyo was seen boarding a civilian helicopter which landed on the roof of the hotel. Police also said that Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein had been airlifted by chopper to the Vietnam War-era U-Tapao military airfield near Pattaya.

The state of emergency bans public gatherings of more than five people and empowers police and military to detain suspects for between seven and 30 days without charge.

Officials can also enforce strict controls on media and all other forms of communication.
********************
Lifted off the roof in helicopters eh?

"[The government has a duty to take care of the leaders who will depart from Thailand," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in an address on Thai television.]

The government had the duty to provide security for the leaders from the time they arrived in the Kingdom, and to properly secure the ASEAN venue, something that they have spectacularly failed to do. The PM should apologise to the Thai people for failing in his duty of care and then do the honorable thing and resign.

[chadthai]

The other leaders lifted by helicopter , simply amazing .unbelieveable

[Khun Don]

Some excellent photos from this week's Pattaya Mail of the red shirt demos.