Banks are burning in Bangkok

BANKS, TV stations and shopping malls are ablaze in Bangkok tonight as thousands rise up against the US-backed regime.

After tanks were used to crush the Redshirt rebels' base this morning and their weak-willed 'leaders' surrendered, it was left to the grassroots rebels to react.

And they have done so in some style - a curfew has been imposed and the rebellion has spread to other parts of Thailand.

Reports istockanalyst.com: "In the northeast, protesters burned down two buildings at the Khon Kaen Provincial Hall and set fire to government-operated Channel 11. They then prevented firefighters from approaching the burning TV station.

"Others set fires at provincial offices in Udon Thani, Mukdahan, Ubon Ratchathani and Nakhon Ratchasima provinces.

"They also torched the provincial hall in Nonthaburi Province next to Bangkok.

"In Chiang Mai, protesters hurled Molotov cocktails into the governor's official residence."

An obvious link has also emerged with the uprisings in Athens, with banks being particularly targeted by the rebel movement of the poor.

Reports The Guardian's live blog: "The Nation is keeping a tally of the fires in Bangkok. It reports (via its Facebook group - it's own site is very slow to load) that out of the "27 gutted spots" 19 are banks.

"The redshirt radio station urges followers to torch the banks, according to Ben Doherty (12pm). Time magazine confirms this. "A radio station aligned with the Red Shirt movement urged supporters to unleash "all out arson."

Reports The Hindu: "Rioters set fires at the Thai stock exchange, several banks, the headquarters of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority, the high-end Central World shopping mall and a cinema complex that collapsed.

"The Thai government declared a curfew in Bangkok from 8 pm until 6 am. An announcement signed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and broadcast on TV banned anyone from leaving home during those times without permission from authorities."

US role behind Thai slaughter

AMERICA'S 'bloody hands' are being seen behind the massacre of anti-government protesters in Thailand.

Writes Shamus Cooke at PEJ News: "When the White House is quiet as protestors are butchered in the streets of Bangkok Thailand, suspicions are raised. Silence often equals complicacy.

"One can only imagine what the U.S.’ response would be to a Venezuelan government slaughter: the U.S. media and Obama would loudly condemn such an act, in contrast to the muted response to Thailand’s blood bath.

"The history of U.S.-Thailand relations explains why. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. used Thailand as one of the main 'anti-communist' bulwarks in an area that included China, Vietnam, Burma, and other countries that were challenging capitalism.

"Thailand was thus transformed into a U.S. client state and given money, guns, and U.S. government intelligence to battle Thailand’s 'communists'.

"This relationship has equaled numerous Thai dictatorships that have a very bloody history, including the shooting of untold numbers of protestors that the Thai government named 'communists', or their modern equivalent, 'terrorists'.

"The U.S.-Thailand relationship began to sour when the recently deposed President Thaksin Shinawatra formed a closer relationship with China that included economic and military deals.

"The U.S. coup against Thai President Thaksin is at the root of the current crisis in Thailand. Large sections of the Thai working class and peasantry still identify Thaksin as their President and are demanding his return.

"They have resorted to extremely militant tactics to achieve their demands, which, if won, would amount to the restoration of democracy in Thailand.

"President Obama has not said one word of support for Thailand’s poor, while his silence enables Thailand’s elite to murder protestors in the streets free of foreign pressure.

"The U.S. is the main purchaser of Thailand’s exports, while providing important economic and military assistance. One strong statement from Obama would deter Thailand’s elites from further killing. But he will remain silent.

"So far, dozens of protestors have been murdered. But for Thailand’s U.S.-backed elite to successfully maintain their political dominance, hundreds if not thousands more will have to be slaughtered.

"By working to maintain the Bush-era coup government in Thailand, President Obama bears criminal responsibility for the current atrocities. If the Thai working class is unable to overthrow their murderous government, Obama will bear further blame for propping up a coup-government that must resort to prolonged, massive brutality to maintain its rule."

Thai army murders protesters

SEVERAL people are dead after Thai government troops opened fire on unarmed protesters in Bangkok on Friday.

A leading Redshirt rebel was also shot, probably fatally, by an army sniper.

Eye-witness Ben Doherty, reporting for The Guardian from Thailand, says:

"The centre of Bangkok is now a battleground, with rolling skirmishes being fought in the empty streets between the redshirts' compound, fortified with tyres and sharpened bamboo staves, and the hastily constructed sand-bagged and razor-wired positions of the troops.

In most places, the reds' camp and the troop position are a couple of hundred metres apart. The areas between, some of the most exclusive addresses in Bangkok, are almost deserted.

Shops have been closed and thousands of residents who live in central city apartments have fled.

Gunfire rings out on-and-off, mixed with the explosions of firecrackers and grenades being launched. Police helicopters fly overhead.

As the troops try to move in on the redshirts' encampment, more protesters, not necessarily redshirts but sympathetic to their cause and resentful of the government crackdown, are coming out onto the streets, attacking the soldiers from behind. They are throwing bricks, molotov cocktails and lumps of concrete.

Most of Bangkok's busiest roads, which would usually by jammed with traffic on a Friday afternoon, are deserted save for protestors and soldiers. Protesters are burning tyres, and, in some cases, seized army vehicles in the streets."

Thailand moves closer to civil war

THAILAND'S political deadlock is tipping closer to open conflict, with the prime minister warning of “clashes and losses” if anti-government protesters do not leave their central Bangkok rallying point, reports the Financial Times.

“From now on, what the government will do may risk clashes and losses, but the government knows what it’s doing. What needs to be done must be done,” Abhisit Vejjajiva, the prime minister, said as part of his regular Sunday broadcast.

The protest movement, formally known as the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, but more commonly known as “red shirts” after their trademark attire, seemed unmoved by Mr Abhisit’s threats.

“That’s Abhisit’s problem. If he wants to do anything, we’re prepared for that,” Nattawut Saikua, one of the protest leaders said on Sunday morning.

Mr Abhisit has been struggling to find an acceptable response to seven weeks of demonstrations calling for his resignation.

The protesters have used tyres and sharpened bamboo staves to barricade themselves in around a key intersection in Bangkok’s commercial heart, shutting down some of the city’s biggest shopping malls and hotels, and paralysing the administration.

The red shirts believe that Mr Abhisit, who came to power 17 months ago in a controversial parliamentary vote, lacks the legitimacy of a popular mandate and are demanding his immediate resignation.

The conflict has already killed 27 people, most of whom died when protesters and the Thai army fought a gun battle in the heart of old Bangkok three weeks ago.

“The stand-off in the streets of Bangkok between the government and Red Shirt protesters is worsening and could deteriorate into an undeclared civil war,” the International Crisis Group warned on Friday.

Thai rebels block troop train

A CRUNCH day is approaching in the 'red shirt' rebellion against the Thai government.

Reports the Washington Post: "Thailand's tense political standoff was nearing a climax on Thursday with anti-government protesters preparing for imminent battle in central Bangkok against tens of thousands of armed troops.

"The 'red shirt' uprising showed the first signs of spreading beyond Bangkok to the protesters' stronghold in the northeast after they blocked a train carrying troops.

"The red shirts mistakenly thought the train was on its way to Bangkok, but it was taking troops and military vehicles to the south to help contain a Muslim insurgency, a railway police officer told Reuters by telephone from Khon Kaen.

"Some 40,000 red-shirted supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra have fortified their redoubt in a Bangkok commercial district with home-made barricades, expecting the army to evict them any time. 'We've heard from insiders in the government that April 26 is their deadline,' Kwanchai Sarakam, 57, a red shirt leader from the northeast told Reuters."

Revolutions erupting across Asia

ANGRY revolutionary crowds in two Asian states have demonstrated how people power can prevail against riot cops - even armed ones.

Kyrgyzstan's Prime Minister Daniyar Usenov resigned with his entire cabinet late Wednesday night and has fled to neighbouring Kazakhstan as anti-government protesters seized the Parliament and clashed with security forces in which at least 40 people were killed and over 400 injured, reports Rediff News.

Usenov signed his cabinet's resignation and handed over the powers to the leader of parliamentary opposition, ex-Foreign Minister Roza Otunbayeva, Interfax news agency reported from capital Bishkek.

Later in a statement Otunbayeva declared that the power in this of Central Asian republic has been assumed by the government of popular trust, RIA Novosti reported.

Since Tuesday's protests against President Bakiyev, the Opposition has captured administration in Talas, Chui, Naryn and Issyk-Kul regions in the north and west and are said to be in control of several districts in Osh region in the south loyal to Bakiyev.

President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has fled the country by air, while Prime Minister Usenov left by road for Almaty in neighbouring Kazakhstan with his security in several off-road vehicles, Moscow-based Kommersant FM radio has confirmed.

Bakiyev left the country in a special aircraft which took-off from Manas International Airport around 8 pm (IST) for an undisclosed destination.

Russian agencies have reported that Bakiyev's family home has been ransacked and looted in the absence of any security guards.

The riots erupted as the agitators alleged corruption in the administration and protested against the rise in power prices recently.

The Interior Minister Moldomusa Kongatiyev was beaten to death by the opposition protesters in the western town of Talas.

Prime Minister Daniyar Usenov declared a state of emergency in an effort to contain the riots.

However shortly after emergency was declared, agitators marched towards the Kyrgyz television centre, ransacked the building and forced to halt all programmes. They also looted the radio building and took the deputy prime minister Akylbek Zhaparov hostage.

Protesters raised slogans like "Bakiyev out!" and "We don't want this rotten power."

The US, which has an air base in Kyrgyzstan to aid NATO forces in neighbouring Afghanistan, also expressed "deep concern" about the situation in this former Soviet nation.

Meanwhile in Thailand the 'red shirts' seized a satellite TV station from police.

Reports The Daily Telegraph: "Thai security forces fired tear gas and water cannon at anti-government protesters yesterday as thousands invaded a satellite station demanding that the opposition television station be put back on air.

"The spasm of violence at the compound 35 miles north of Bangkok was the most serious confrontation in nearly a month of demonstrations designed to force the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva to quit and call fresh elections.

"Thousands of 'red shirt' demonstrators loyal to Thaksin Shinawatra, the ex-prime minister surrounded the Thaicom compound, which was eventually abandoned by the police.

"Protestors had scaled a moat guarded with razor wire to force open the front gates, a move that prompted the security forces to abandon their weapons, shields, and body armour which could be seen floating on the water.

"Last night the management of the company, Thaicom, agreed to put the 'red shirt' protesters' fiery People TV - or PTV - back on air after negotiating with their leaders despite a government ruling that it remain blocked.

"The government pulled the plug on PTV under the state of emergency decree saying that the channel that broadcasts rallies and propaganda speeches was putting out false information.

"The government has deployed 30,000 personnel across the capital Bangkok which has been the focus of the demonstrations where thousands of 'red shirts' have blocked roads and shut glitzy shopping malls since the weekend."

Video of Kyrgyzstan riots here

Video of Thailand riots here