Tanks in Bangkok

[Thaimax]

Tanks mobilised in Bangkok

BANGKOK: -- Tanks have been mobilised in parts of Bangkok as part of the government's policy to maintain order under the state of emergency as declared by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Sunday afternoon.

Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the announcement of the state of emergency did not mean that the authority to implement the policy would rest in the hands of the army. He said the military was a part of the effort to enforce the policy, which also included police.

Implementing the Emergency Decree, which was declared in Bangkok and some districts of Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom and Ayutthaya, means that authorities now had to mobilise to take care of and guard key installations and centres in Bangkok.

He said that this comprised of about 50 spots in Bangkok. Asked about the role of tanks which were spotted in certain areas of Bangkok such as the Pratunam area, Col Sansern said that certain equipment had to be deployed to enforce the state of emergency and restore order.

Col Sansern said key spots across the city where authorities would focus on are key intersections in the city which had in the past been blocked by red shirt protestors, key government installations, ministries, government offices, banks and department stores.

He added that in spots where taxis had blocked intersections, authorities would need to deploy equipment to remove the vehicles and if necessary arrest those responsible for the blockages.

The spokesman said that in the past security authorities had avoided confrontation or the use of force to maintain peace against protestors. He said that now that the state of emergency had been announced, it was time to act.

Earlier, Prime Minister Abhisit's limousine was blocked and attacked by United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protestors at the Interior Ministry. The prime minister's car was able to break through the protestors who had broken into the ministry grounds by crashing through the ministry gates.

[marceziani]

Ik ben zelf vanuit Bangkok met de auto naar Isaan (Seka, provincie Nong Khai) gereden op zaterdag 11 april in de ochtend. Toen was er nog niets aan de hand. Enkele uren later stond het verkeer op een aantal plaatsen in Bangkok muurvast. Wij zijn dus net op tijd vertrokken uit Bangkok. Enkele familieleden van mijn vriendin hadden nog gevraagd of ze met ons mee konden rijden en of wij een paar uurtjes wilden wachten. Goed dat we dat niet gedaan hebben, anders had het ritje ongewijfeld wat langer geduurd. Wij hebben een mooie Songkhran beleefd in Seka en omgeving. Op woensdag 15 april zijn we de omgekeerde richting in gereden, richting Bangkok. Niets aan het handje. Al met al heb ik vrijwel niets meegekregen van de onlusten in Thailand, behalve dan nit noy op TV. Mijn Thais is namelijk niet zo goed om dat te kunnen volgen.