- Published: 25/09/2012 at 06:03 PM
- Writer: Online Reporters
The rival colour-coded protesters gathered after police summoned for questioning a former female teacher who publicly accused red-shirt key supporter Darunee Kritbunyalai of defaming the royal institution last month.
The woman was told to report for questioning on Friday, but her lawyer was to go and see the CSD on Tuesday. Her reporting appointment was postponed to Oct 29 following today's clash.
Bangkok Post reporter Voranai Vanijaka, who was at the rally scene, said there were nearly 200 red-shirts and about 50 yellow-shirts gathering outside the compound on Tuesday afternoon. Many of them appeared to be over 40 years old.
He said the red-shirts were waving flags, showing middle fingers and taunting continually, while the outnumbered opposition looked nervous and scared.
At times, the red-shirt protesters tried to cross to the yellow-shirt's side, but then retreated.
The reporter said there were no weapons. Both sides were throwing plastic bottles at each other. An older yellow-shirt woman was reported to be swinging an umbrella at her opponents.
One of the protest groups held a sign that read 'We Love the King' while another group held a sign that said 'We Love the Prince'.
Police tried to calm down the situation by urging them to go home and saying "We are all Thais". No arrests were made.
Mr Voranai reported that many of the yellow-shirts were not happy with the police after they failed to control the situation.
"Let's just give Thailand to the red-shirts because the police can't do anything," shouted one of the yellow-shirts.
(story continues below)
(Photos by Surapol Promsaka na Sakolnakorn)
As the situation gradully escalated, Facebook fan pages for both sides were calling out for their supporters to join the rally, with both sides claiming that they were outnumbered.
Mark Fan Club Facebook page posted pictures of a red-shirt Facebook page's posting where they claimed that they were outnumbered by the yellow-shirts by five to two.
They claimed that there were about 500 yellow-shirt supporters against only 200 red-shirts.
Several yellow-shirt fan pages, such as the Uprising People, claimed that their supporters were unarmed and outnumbered by the growing number of red-shirt supporters.
The fierce confrontation ended around 3pm. The winning side appeared to be the red-shirts as the yellow-shirts retreated to nearby areas, according to the Bangkok Post reporter.
Reports said a total of five people were injured in the fight. They were two red-shirts, two yellow-shirts and a news reporter.
A red-shirt's pickup truck was damaged during the clash, the windscreen smashed.
Thawee Surarittikul, a political analyst at Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, expressed his concern about the political situation following the clash on Tuesday.
"The situation was contained, but what will happen if the situation goes out of control next time.
"Both sides are waiting for an issue which could be a trigger point leading to a bigger protest," Mr Thawee said.
"Any controversial or sensitive issue picked up on by either side could possibly spark a 'swarming effect'," he said.
A video clip, uploaded to Youtube by Prainn Rakthai, shows the clash between red-shirt and yellow-shirt protesters in front of the CSD offices on Phahon Yothin road on Sept 25, 2012.
Share your thoughts
- Discussion 1 : 27/09/2012 at 10:15 PM
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heartie 27 - The multi-colors joined with the PAD during that protest.
brilliant 28 - I passed it off as propagandic spin by this paper, the same as this article. The words written and the videos/pics of the event don't match. Even if it's true, you can only cry wolf so many times until you're ignored. I didn't comment because I didn't know all of the facts, as android #30 points out.
- Discussion 2 : 26/09/2012 at 09:51 PM
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android, the story said "A patient suffering from a heart attack died as the ambulance he was in was delayed by traffic congestion at a red shirt rally against a yellow shirt-sponsored seminar in Ubon Ratchathani on Sunday"
No jumping to conclusions necessary.
- Discussion 3 : 26/09/2012 at 09:17 PM
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android - based on the BP story: 1. man had heart attack, 2. red shirts blocked road and did not allow ambulance to pass, 2. man dies. No conclusion to reach.
- Discussion 4 : 26/09/2012 at 07:34 AM
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Discussion 28 brilliant : don't jump to your own amateur conclusion so soon that the heart attack patient was died due to a delay treatment. You haven't read the autopsy report, have you?
- Discussion 5 : 26/09/2012 at 07:23 AM
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"Let's just give Thailand to the red-shirts because the police can't do anything," shouted one of the yellow-shirts.
Totally agree that this arrogant yellow shirt that the police should do something. At least the police should arrest and prosecute the yellow shirt who smashed the red pickup's windscreen.
- Discussion 6 : 26/09/2012 at 04:53 AM
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johninbkk - well, nobody died of a heart attack because they couldn't get to the hospital, did they. Where were your comments on that story. Nothing you could spin or lie about so you avoided it?
200 reds and 50 yellows and the yellows won? Good for them.
- Discussion 7 : 26/09/2012 at 02:01 AM
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Who are the white shirts? Have the yellow shirts changed colors? What happened to the pink shirts? Multi-colored shirts? Is is safe to wear ANY colored shirt?
- Discussion 8 : 26/09/2012 at 12:17 AM
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It's clear by watching the youtube videos online of what actually happened. I see who has blood on their face, who is laughing at the injured, who attacked the other side to steal their flags and set the flags on fire, who threw bricks and damaged a vehicle with weapons. The videos clearly show who the real aggressor is, and they don't look so "nervous and scared" to me . . . Whatever happened to 'News you can trust'?
- Discussion 9 : 25/09/2012 at 11:35 PM
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The PAD’s lawyer went to the police station because he had an appointment concerning a defamation case. He was accompanied with few yellow shirts supporters.
But what was the motive of the red shirts to come? None! But only a provocation!
It’s the same kind of story that at the PAD seminar in Ubon Rachatani last Sunday! The red shirts tried to disturb the meeting.
And isolating the footage of the man in white breaking the windshield, from the rest of the chronology of the clash is wrong because it’s pulled out of the context.
- Discussion 10 : 25/09/2012 at 11:28 PM
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From the photos and the video, there was a clear need for the police to step in but they did nothing. Last month, in Los Angeles a Thai yellow shirt mob started going crazy ass bonkers until the police started putting people in handcuffs. That quieted the mob down in a hurry. Thais are a very passionate people but throwing a few of the more unruly ones in the pokey may quell some of that passion. Unfortunately, people think that they can get away with anything nowadays.
- Discussion 11 : 25/09/2012 at 11:09 PM
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rossaya - "The fascists every time think they are educated when they are only formatted by the heinous propaganda. See Germany in 1933."
Yes, indeed. Only difference is they were called brown shirts and now they are called red shirts.
- Discussion 12 : 25/09/2012 at 10:21 PM
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Fear, threat, intimidation.
Every ohter day the red-shirts put up a fight. When will this nonsense end ??
- Discussion 13 : 25/09/2012 at 09:49 PM
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I’ve been called many colourful names here and I’m not even red! Being picked on is something I’m fairly familiar with and clearly the mob in the video is angry and picking on the red pick-up, why I don’t know, perhaps it’s something to do with court cases and investigations that are not looking favourable for their political hero and his sidekick.
I’ve noticed that since the shift in the balance of power and with the popular demand firmly placing the shoe on the other foot the Anti-Thakzin brigade have begun getting more disorderly and violent. I'm not forgetting the chaotic ugly scenes that took place in parliament over the reconciliation bills, airport seizures, occupying parliament and those mass protests that led to the 06 coup. It’s clear, to me, that a minority group has to have it their way or all the toys get thrown from the cot.
- Discussion 14 : 25/09/2012 at 09:48 PM
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The video only shows Yellow shirts using violence. The same goes for the pictures, all I see is a few red-shirts surrounded by an aggressive yellow mob.
- Discussion 15 : 25/09/2012 at 09:44 PM
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Nobody won anything out of that disgraceful exhibition.
- Discussion 16 : 25/09/2012 at 09:26 PM
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"He said the red-shirts were waving flags, showing middle fingers and taunting continually"
Ahh, the maturity shows.
android - "This time everyboby sees the real mob behaviour of the white T-shirt guy who smashed the red pickup's windscreen into pieces with his retractable steel rod."
At least he didn;t die on the way to the hospital. Missed your comments on that story.
- Discussion 17 : 25/09/2012 at 09:21 PM
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mister disc 10, the more "educated" is this old people eructing insults, invectives and full of hatred against a car? The fascists every time think they are educated when they are only formatted by the heinous propaganda. See Germany in 1933. A question, reading the quotidian diatribe from a camp, we know who pays the Red to manifest. But who pay the Yellow?
- Discussion 18 : 25/09/2012 at 09:16 PM
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Android - "This time everyboby sees the real mob behaviour of the white T-shirt guy who smashed the red pickup's windscreen into pieces with his retractable steel rod."
LMAO... You must have scoured that video and felt a little warm glow when you thought you had a point to make. OK... Listen to this. I think it's wrong that the guy broke the windscreen. I think he should be punished for criminal damage.
Now... 39 buildings burnt down. 60,000 people blocked from working. 80+ grenade attacks. Hundreds of assaults. Civilians and soldiers murdered. Condemn it all. Can you do it?
- Discussion 19 : 25/09/2012 at 08:54 PM
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Many thanks to the great fugitive... as his family says..." He works hard for the country"........
- Discussion 20 : 25/09/2012 at 08:50 PM
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Round the whole lot up and send them off to dredge khlongs, drains and sewers, that should cool their heads, whole they are at it round up the gangs of students too and send them the same way.
- Discussion 21 : 25/09/2012 at 08:42 PM
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The guy who smashed the red pickup's windscreen is no wonder a yellow shirt who loves obeying law and order as always claimed by the PADs.
- Discussion 22 : 25/09/2012 at 08:36 PM
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"A red-shirt's pickup truck was damaged during the clash, the windscreen smashed."
This time everyboby sees the real mob behaviour of the white T-shirt guy who smashed the red pickup's windscreen into pieces with his retractable steel rod.
- Discussion 23 : 25/09/2012 at 08:28 PM
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The police won't do anything against the red shirts because the police chief is the brother in law of the fugitive and the police chief to be has already shown that he is a lackey of the fugitive as well. Never seen in my life that a fugitive convicted criminal decorates a police chief to be.
- Discussion 24 : 25/09/2012 at 08:26 PM
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Its very easy to see which side is the more educated and fighting for real democracy through legal means. The red shirts are just a bunch of terrorists using violence to get what they want. Shame on them. One day, the silent majority will rise up and crush them and their fugitive leader. Mark my words
- Discussion 25 : 25/09/2012 at 08:16 PM
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The watermelon police do nothing, even when some are injured.
- Discussion 26 : 25/09/2012 at 08:13 PM
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Today plastic bottles - tomorrow, who knows! I genuinely fear for the future of Thailand if the government doesn't start to promote unity instead of dischord.
- Discussion 27 : 25/09/2012 at 07:57 PM
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“The Land of Smiles”, has been laid to rest and is being seen now as “The Land of Unending Political Conflict and Escalating Civil War”. A nation that makes claims to believe in and follow the Buddhist philosophy, the basic precepts and subscribe to the middle-path concept is instead all about lip-service and image when it comes to Buddhism. Greed, corruption, materialism, immorality and absolute uncompromising power is sweeping the land and will be the downfall of a country that has had a decade’s long head start on neighbors with opportunity and outside assistance squandered and still no plan to lift the country through education of the masses and equal application of laws. And the people are so well indoctrinated, that they just don’t “get” what is happening. Truly sad.
- Discussion 28 : 25/09/2012 at 07:41 PM
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The violence of the Red Shirts will stop Thaksin returning. So ironic! As Pheu Thai does what it wants to do to bring Thaksin back whitewashed, the confrontations will increase to an extremely serious level. For sure, the police won't do anything about the Red Shirts, which will anger the Yellow Shirts, and so the violence will escalate. Thaksin should leave Thailand alone for good. In any case, the Red Shirts will be his Nemesis, I think.
- Discussion 29 : 25/09/2012 at 07:29 PM
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here we go again
Said many times reds and yellows as bad as each other as is thaksin and abhisit.
the placards should read 'we love money'
- Discussion 30 : 25/09/2012 at 07:24 PM
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A very disturbing sight, Thai adults behaving like spoiled brats not getting their way.
- Discussion 31 : 25/09/2012 at 07:13 PM
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its disappointing that the police dont protect all its citizens,the police knows these hard core of trouble makers,and should have led them away
- Discussion 32 : 25/09/2012 at 07:00 PM
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The fugitive must be satisfied with his result, pinning Thais against each other.
- Discussion 33 : 25/09/2012 at 06:58 PM
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thats a funny shaped bottle that the guy in picture 11 is swinging :)
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