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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englishbob
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Discussion 129 : 24 Nov 2012 at 18.37129
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Disc112 - Could be because of the rain... Although a million people was always a stupid number to pluck from the air.

We'll never know how many people wanted to attend because their constitutional right to protest was taken away from them. Roads blocked and people prevented from travelling? Not exactly democratic, is it?
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andreaust
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Discussion 128 : 24 Nov 2012 at 18.31128
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In fact it was a peaceful rally but with the brutality of the police who were completely absent during the violent rally of red shirts in 2010 and also in Pattaya for the summit.
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andreaust
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Discussion 127 : 24 Nov 2012 at 18.27127
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Boonlert is right not to expose the protesters against the danger that the police already shown before the rally started. Today was only a warning to the Thaksin government..I am sure Boonlert will come back more organise this time and also hope the government will be ousted.
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bkk1
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Discussion 126 : 24 Nov 2012 at 18.23126
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The Chief of Police should resign its clear they work for Thaksin and not Thailand
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onlyasking
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Discussion 125 : 24 Nov 2012 at 18.18125
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It seem as if there are more Pitak Siam supporters on BP than at the rally. Now lets see what reason Boonlert will think of next to have rally no 3. His paymasters will not be happy with his lack of performance and he will have to save face.
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upena
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Discussion 124 : 24 Nov 2012 at 18.16124
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Coup called on account of rain
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domdunnn
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Discussion 123 : 24 Nov 2012 at 18.02123
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wakeup D109

Better to use tear gas against protesters than to shoot live bullets at them! Known what I mean?
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peterd
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Discussion 122 : 24 Nov 2012 at 17.58122
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#68, Meme, you totally mistake. The whole world saw that had a state of right in Thailand. Have rallies with tear gaz every week in europa. Police do the same and professional job trying to avoid the collateral damages. Some critic when the Thai police don't do, the same critic when it do. At least, this time no snipers, no live bullets.
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banmebkk
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Discussion 121 : 24 Nov 2012 at 17.44121
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Funny how PT supporters are coming in numbers to condemn the Pitak's so far peaceful actions, yet when the UDD committed the same crime / worse crimes, they blame it at the soldiers and police for firing tear gas to incite violence two years ago.
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apachepat
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Discussion 120 : 24 Nov 2012 at 17.34120
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10,000 protesters@ B1500each = only B15million, hope the peace loving taxpayer rally organisers will donate some of their unused 6 billion war chest to help pay for the security costs for this shambles
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