Penunjuk perasaan anti-kerajaan menyertai orang lain menyekat jalan raya di salah sebuah persimpangan utama di pusat bandar Bangkok 13 Jan 2014 (An anti-government protester joins others blocking the road at one of major intersections in central Bangkok January 13, 2014 (Reuters, Athit Perawongmetha – think IN pictures @1WORLD Community)
SitiWanMahani - Beribu-ribu pada hari Isnin menyekat jalan-raya menuju ke tengah-tengah ibu kota, Bangkok Thailand, dalam usaha untuk memaksa Perdana Menteri Yingluck Shinawatra keluar dan menggantikan beliau dengan sebuah kerajaan yang tidak dipilih, memanggil operasi “Bangkok Shutdown.”
Beribu-ribu keluar ke jalan-raya, berjalan lalui penghadang, mengibarkan bendera dan memakai t-shirt dengan slogan di atas, menduduki semua persimpangan strategik, ter-masuk pusat membeli-belah - yang sama yang telah dibakar semasa pergolakan politik tahun 2011.
Protes dipimpin oleh ahli politik pembangkang bekas, Suthep Thaugsuban. Penunjuk perasaan sedang mencari untuk menyebabkan huru-hara di bandar 12 juta orang dengan menyekat persimpangan utama. Lewat semalam, katanya kepada orang ramai bahawa kumpulan itu merancang untuk "berjuang tanpa mengira sama ada [mereka] menang atau kalah.”
“Kita tidak akan bertolak ansur atau menerima perundingan,” katanya.
Thai protesters 'shut down' Bangkok in bid to oust PM
Thousands on Monday blocked roads leading to the heart of Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, in a bid to force out Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and replace her with an unelected government, calling the operation “Bangkok Shutdown.”
Thousands came out onto the streets, walking past barricades, waving flags and wearing t-shirts with the above slogan, occupying all the strategic intersections, which included a shopping mall – the same one that was set on fire during the political turmoil of 2011.
Protests are led by the former opposition politician, Suthep Thaugsuban. Demonstrators are seeking to cause chaos in the city of 12 million people by blocking major intersections. Late on Sunday, he told the crowds that the group intends to “fight regardless of whether [they] win or lose.”
“We will not compromise or accept negotiation," he added.
Penunjuk perasaan anti-kerajaan menghalang jalan raya di salah sebuah persimpangan utama di pusat bandar Bangkok 13 Januari 2014 (Anti-government protesters block the road at one of major intersections in central Bangkok January 13, 2014 (Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha – think IN pictures @1WORLD Community)
Sehingga pagi Isnin, terdapat lalu lintas di jalan-raya utama di ibu negara Thai, mungkin kerana ramai penduduk dan pekerja tinggal di rumah, Bangkok Post melaporkan. Penun-juk perasaan berkata, kerajaan boleh bergantung kepada mereka cuba mengganggu beru-lang-alik kerja rakyat. Ini berkenaan pekerja-pekerja kerajaan terutamanya, seperti ramai yang dijanjikan untuk memotong kuasa kepada mereka institusi.
Ini adalah sesuatu yang memberi amaran kepada kerajaan boleh membawa kepada pertumpahan darah.
Tunjuk perasaan baru-baru ini yang melanda negara tenggara Asia hanya kesungguhan terbaru konflik lapan tahun antara kelas menengah dan penubuhan pendukung raja dan kebanyakannya miskin, penyokong luar bandar Perdana Menteri dan saudara sendiri dibuang beliau, bekas Perdana Menteri, Thaksin Shinawatra.
Protes berterusan datang di tengah-tengah panggilan Isnin oleh PM untuk mengumpul penunjuk perasaan anti-kerajaan dan parti-parti politik di bawah satu bumbung untuk membincangkan cadangan Suruhanjaya Pilihan Raya untuk menangguhkan lagi pilihan raya, pada mulanya dicadangkan untuk 2 Februari, menurut seorang pembantu kanan kerajaan.
Pembangkang dan menteri-menteri sebelum ini tidak bersetuju dengan rancangan itu. Seorang ahli EC kini mencadangkan sebagai tarikh 4 Mei.
“Perdana Menteri berpendapat bahawa masih terdapat beberapa perkara tidak jelas dalam cadangan SPR. Cara terbaik adalah untuk bertemu dan berbincang,” Setiausaha Agung kepada PM, Suranand Vejjajiva, memberitahu akhbar itu, berkata Reuters.
Pada tahun 2006 Thaksin digulingkan sebagai Perdana Menteri dalam rampasan kuasa dan kini dalam buangan diri yang dikenakan di Dubai, mengelakkan penjara mungkin di Thailand atas tuduhan rasuah.
As of Monday morning, there has been little traffic on the main roads of the Thai capital, probably because many residents and workers stayed home, the Bangkok Post reports. The protesters said the government can count on them trying to disrupt people’s work commutes. This concerns government workers especially, as the crowd promised to cut off power to those institutions.
This is something that the government warns could lead to more bloodshed.
The recent demonstrations that swept the south-east Asian nation are just the latest intensification of an eight-year conflict between the middle class and royalist establishment and the mostly poorer, rural supporters of the prime minister and her self-exiled brother, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The continuing protest comes amid Monday calls by the PM to gather anti-government protesters and political parties under one roof to discuss an Election Commission proposal for further postponing the election, initially proposed for February 2, according to a senior government aide.
The opposition and the ministers had previously disagreed with the plan. One EC member now suggests May 4 as the date.
"The prime minister thinks that there are still some unclear points in the EC's proposal. The best way is to meet and discuss it," secretary-general to the PM, Suranand Vejjajiva, told the press, Reuters said.
In 2006 Thaksin was ousted as prime minister in a coup and currently is in a self-imposed exile in Dubai, evading a possible prison term in Thailand on corruption charges.
Penunjuk perasaan anti-kerajaan menduduki persimpangan di pusat bandar Bangkok 13 Jan, 2014. (Anti-government protesters occupy an intersection in central Bangkok January 13, 2014. (Reuters / Nir Elias – think IN pictures @1WORLD Community)
Peningkatan keganasan dalam beberapa minggu kebelakangan ini telah dilihat 8 orang terbunuh, termasuk 2 pegawai polis, dan lain-lain lagi cedera.
Memandangkan protes, 140 sekolah ditutup pada hari Isnin bersama-sama dengan universiti di sekitar kawasan demonstrasi.
Terdapat juga 10,000 pegawai polis dan 8,000 anggota tentera untuk menjaga keselamatan pegawai-pegawai kerajaan.
The escalation of violence in recent weeks has seen eight people killed, including two police officers, and many others wounded.
In light of the protests, 140 schools are to be closed on Monday along with universities around the areas of the demonstration.
There will also be 10,000 police officers and 8,000 soldiers to guard the government officers.
Penunjuk perasaan anti-kerajaan berarak di pusat bandar Bangkok 13 Jan 2014. (Anti-government protesters march in central Bangkok January 13, 2014. (Reuters/Nir Elias – think IN pictures @1WORLD Community)
Sesetengah merasakan bahawa tindakan yang diambil oleh penunjuk perasaan boleh mengurangkan sokongan untuk pembangkang di kalangan penduduk di ibu negara. “Sudah tentu ia memberi kesan kepada saya - Saya amat tertekan,” pemilik salun rambut Tong, 69, kepada AFP, sambil menambah bahawa “tidak ada pelanggan yang datang sekarang kerana pelanggan tetap saya tidak boleh memandu di sini.”
Penyokong Thaksin juga diadakan perhimpunan pada hari Ahad di beberapa kawasan Thailand, tetapi menjauhkan diri dari Bangkok.
Some feel that the action taken by the protesters could reduce support for the opposition among the capital’s residents. "Of course it affects me -- I'm very stressed," hair salon owner Tong, 69, told AFP, adding that "no customers are coming now as my regular customers cannot drive here."
Thaksin supporters also staged a rally on Sunday in several regions of Thailand, but stayed away from Bangkok.
Penunjuk perasaan anti-kerajaan berarak di pusat bandar Bangkok 13 Jan 2014. (Anti-government protestors march in central Bangkok January 13, 2014. (Reuters/Nir Elias – think IN pictures @1WORLD Community)
Dia memberi amaran bahawa dia akan berhenti kerana merasakan jika keadaan sampai perang saudara. “Jika ia menjadi perang saudara , saya akan melepaskan. Kehidupan Rakyat adalah amat berharga bagi saya,” akhbar Nation Ahad memetik beliau sebagai berkata.
Matlamat utama pembangkang adalah untuk mengurangkan dan menghapuskan kekuasaan keluarga Shinawatra atas politik Thai.
“Suthep hanya seorang proksi untuk kepentingan musuh pendukung raja. Peranan beliau sentiasa menjadi untuk membawa keluar orang ramai untuk mewujudkan kesahihan popular yang mungkin memudahkan apa-apa campur tangan kehakiman atau tentera,” Reuters memetik Pengarah Penyelidikan di Institut Hal Ehwal Asia Tenggara di Chiang Mai, Paul Chambers, sebagai berkata.
Bantahan mendapat kekuatan pada bulan November apabila kerajaan cuba untuk lulus pengampunan politik yang akan membolehkan Thaksin pulang mengelakkan hukuman penjara. Rang undang-undang kemudiannya ditolak.
He did warn that he will stop his attempts if the situation reaches civil war. "If it becomes a civil war, I will give up. People's life is precious for me," the Sunday Nation newspaper quoted him as saying.
The opposition’s main goal is to minimize and eliminate the Shinawatra family sway over Thai politics.
"Suthep is only a proxy for arch-royalist interests. His role has always been to bring out crowds to create popular legitimacy which might facilitate any judicial or military intervention," Reuters quoted Director of Research at the Institute of South East Asian Affairs in Chiang Mai, Paul Chambers, as saying.
The protests gained strength in November when the government tries to pass a political amnesty that would allow Thaksin to return avoiding the jail sentence. The bill was later withdrawn.
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