Rally fizzles out amid safety fears

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Rally fizzles out amid safety fears

Boonlert says authorities inciting violence

Published: 24 Nov 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Pitak Siam leader Boonlert Kaewprasit ended his anti-government rally and his own brief political career on a drizzly Saturday afternoon after a day of high drama and scattered violence.

A Pitak Siam protester holds up a tear-gas canister that police had fired near the Makkawan Bridge on Saturday morning.

Addressing an estimated 20,000 supporters from the Royal Plaza stage, he asked them to disperse peacefully.

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SteveCM
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Discussion 139 : 24 Nov 2012 at 19.12139
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Fluxit (#103): "The canisters that were later thrown were the tear gas cannisters that had landed in the crowd after being fired by the police."

And you know this how, exactly? Perhaps you can also explain why there were spent tear gas canisters retrieved in the police lines that are of a type they don't use?
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wakeupnow
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Discussion 138 : 24 Nov 2012 at 19.08138
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It is NOT QUITS. The government is obviously VERY afraid of this, or they wouldn't have reacted in such a way.

They can just regroup, and insert the thorns again. The poison is already there, which is why this has begun!
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pomatna
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Discussion 137 : 24 Nov 2012 at 19.03137
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I see that the ongoing color bickering in Thailand is a drain on the Kingdom's resources. Humans learn a lot through what's happening around them. Maybe the 'adult population' should spare a few moments to think of the impact of such recurring events on the minds of the younger generation! And just for their sake negotiate differences in ways other than resorting to use of force. The young ones in the Kingdom will grow up emulating what they see. Thailand is blessed so abundantly by nature; why not capitalise on it and grow, instead of retarding the progress.
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peterl
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Discussion 136 : 24 Nov 2012 at 19.01136
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A rally organized by somebody who is openly advocating a coup should never have been allowed in the first place. Those opposed to the democratically elected government should learn there are plenty of ways of getting their voice heard without resorting to mob rule. The order banning the protesters from entering Government House or Parliament is correct and if the protsters attempted to brak police barricades by the use of force, what kind of response did they expect? Hopefully today Thailand took a big step towards putting the era of mob rule behind it.
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tomo
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Discussion 135 : 24 Nov 2012 at 18.58135
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Just proves that General Boonlert has absolutely no support.10,000 supporters turned up not one million.Maybe you got your zeros mixed up General.And the whole world sore how violent ur mob was.But it proved a point the vast majority of Thais support this good govertment so take note today proved that.Welldone to the way the Police and Govertment handled this.Thumbs up.Print that BP and let your negative readers remember today,whos in power.
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wakeupnow
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Discussion 134 : 24 Nov 2012 at 18.52134
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Rob Ignorant and Android. Welcome to the world where others don't agree with you.

People want to voice their opinion against a tyrant, corrupt government which is bankrupting the country for the sake of cronyism. Don't criticize them, allow them their voice.

The reds had more than their voice, they ruined the lives of so many people and still burned departments stores down and stormed and terrorized innocent hospitals.

You have no right to talk about justice. Sit back and watch as people take back what the greedy nepotists have abused.
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bkposter
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Discussion 133 : 24 Nov 2012 at 18.45133
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RE: D12 I think those numbers (10,000) are a very generous estimate...When you looked at any of the coverage on TV I saw a bunch of old women sleeping on the ground.. I guess the rains early were a deterrent, but in general there was as bigger as a police presence than protester presence. For those that doubt that the crowd was attacking the police you can search u-tube and see it pretty obvious that the police were in order and did a better job than usual of crowd control.
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englishbob
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Discussion 132 : 24 Nov 2012 at 18.45132
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Disc110 RobinGrant Kate Hodal wrote on her Twitter account - "Guys making shrapnel bombs now, these all black dudes wandering around ominously"... And then shows a picture of a guy with a balaclava on and some other people drinking water.

Her Twitter page is surrounded by a Photostory of two lovebirds sitting on a pier.

Since when does the Guardian write 'Guys', 'dudes' or decorate its pages with photos of love stories?
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dickemery
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Discussion 131 : 24 Nov 2012 at 18.38131
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pm yingluck and her brother, and all their cromies should bow their heads in shame,their red army and their police force have used brutality upon good law abiding fellow citizens,trying to get to a peaceful rally to show their disapproval by this dictorial regime,to their followers, AV will have his day in the censure debate there will be hideing place for the proxy pm no police or red army to cover from,a very sad day for democracy
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bluebottle
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Discussion 130 : 24 Nov 2012 at 18.37130
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Reading some of the comments it would seem some contributors must think the government are whiter than white and there is no corruption.A peaceful protest has been ambushed by a disgusting show of power by the authorities, stopping people travelling to the venue for example the very same thing we all avidly complain about the government doing week after week,Doing its own thing and to hell with every one else.
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