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Red shirts storm compound to reopen People TV
Thai protesters storm into TV compound, claim to have reopened station shut by government
Updated 08:35 PM Apr 09, 2010
BANGKOK (AP) - Thai anti-government protesters have stormed into a telecoms company compound where authorities had shut down their vital TV channel, as soldiers and riot police failed to hold them back with tear gas and water cannons.
"Red Shirt" leaders then negotiated with police officers to put the People Channel back on air before the security forces and protesters withdrew from the compound side by side, according to TV reports. But the government denied the channel had been restored.
The "Red Shirt" assault was another humiliating blow to the government in month long protests aimed at ousting Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and forcing new elections. At least 10 protesters and three security personnel were injured in the confrontation in a Bangkok suburb, The Nation newspaper said on its web site.
- AP
Comments
People's TV
The US Govt was quick to denounce the Red Shirt brief occupation of Parliament yesterday.
They are strangely quiet about the Freedom of Speech violation by the govt in shutting down PTV.
Re. US government
Re. US government denouncement - do you have a link for that?
US State Dept spokesman P J Crowley
I saw the State Dept spokesman P J Crowley deliver the statement on a Thai TV news program. I don't have an issue with the contents of the statement per se; but if they fail to make a statement condemning the freedom of speech violation, then it is obvious that the US administration is aligning itself with the Abhisit regime.
But why make any statement at all??? This is clearly a matter for the Thai people to sort out without external interference. At what stage will we start hearing descrptors such as "insurgent" being used??? And when did it become a bad thing for a government to have "populist" policies? Oxford Dictionary online: populist (noun) a member or supporter of a political party who seeks to appeal to or represent the interests and views of ordinary people.
http://www.unbconnect.com/component/news/task-show/id-17929
People's TV Back on Air
It certainly is - I'm watching it right now - 9.29 pm Friday
Red-shirts break into Thaicom station
Red-shirts break into Thaicom station
* Published: 9/04/2010 at 04:42 PM
* Online news: Local News
A large number of red shirts occupied the grounds of the Thaicom satellite station in Pathum Thani's Lat Lum Kaeo district after breaking through a cordon of soldiers who tried in vain to stop them with water cannon and tear gas, according to television reports.
The red-shirts, led by Jatuporn Prompan, demanded the signal of the People Channel to be re-connected. It was blocked by government order. They forced their way through the gate on the perimeter fence into the station compound about 2.20pm.
Once they made it inside, the soldiers first tried to stop them with water cannons and then used tear gas against the mob.
The red shirts overcame the defence and secured a base inside the compound, then brought in a large truck with sound equipment. The soldiers were forced back.
After 3pm, the red-shirts were seen all over the inner part of the compound. However, it was not known whether any of the red-shirts had entered the Thaicom station building, which was believed to be protected by soldiers and police.
Red-shirt leader Natthawut Saikua said in a speech to his colleagues after the seizure of the station that they were calling on officials to come out for talks on putting the People Channel (PTV) back on air.
Mr Nathawut demanded the government withdraw soldiers and police from inside the station and get the PTV signal unblocked so that it could resume its broadcast by 4pm.
If the demand was met, the red shirts would return to their rally sites at Ratchaprasong and Phan Fa bridge, he said.
Suporn Atthawong, anther UDD leader, said if the government failed to meet the demand the red shirts would move to seize the city hall in Nonthaburi. Red-shirts earlier also rallied at the Thaicom offices in Nonthaburi.
The occupation would continue until PTV was back on the air, he said.
Jatuporn Prompan, another UDD leader, went up the stage and declared victory right after the red-shirts seized the Thaicom grounds in Pathum Thani.
The Public Health Ministry's emergency unit reported that 13 people were injured when red-shirts broke through security lines into the Thaicom station grounds - three security personnel and 10 protesters.
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