Olympic torch arrives in BKK - don't disrupt the parade

[lomuamart]

If anyone was considering rushing up to BKK this afternoon to disrupt the torch procession, have a look at this first:



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DISRUPTION OF TORCH RELAY
You'll be playing with fire
Any foreigner who takes part in protests during the run will be kicked out for good, police warn

Published on April 18, 2008


Daily xpress

Protesters disrupting tomorrow's Olympic-torch relay will be arrested immediately and prosecuted for public disturbance, police say.

Foreigners will be expelled and banned from returning. Those with residency will have it revoked permanently, spokesman Lt-General Watcharaphol Prasarnratchakij says.

"If they come here and engage in unlawful acts, they must be prosecuted ... if they engage in illegal activity, we will proceed according to the law by revoking their visa," he says.

"We have prepared everything to ensure the smoothness of the ceremony."

A Government House source says there are groups in this country motivated to disrupt the relay, including human-rights groups and the local Falun Gong.

Additional police have been deployed to the Plaza Athenee Hotel, where the torch and Olympic flame are housed ahead of tomorrow's 3pm run.

There will be as many as 2,000 policemen on duty along the route, according to the Olympic Committee of Thailand.

Four police vehicles and six officers will accompany the relay at all times. A bomb squad and a canine crew are on standby as is a special weapons and tactics outfit.

The heavy security highlights concerns here and the government's desire to avoid similar chaos to that which occurred overseas.

Free Tibet Network member Pokpong Lawansiri disagrees with the stance against pro-Tibet protests.

"Under the Constitution, an individual - local or foreigner - has the right to rally for a cause," he says. "Peaceful rally should be allowed".

He expects about 100 members to protests.

Prime ministerial aide Akhaphol Sorrasuchart says protests can continue as long as there's no run disruption and they do not break other laws, including traffic, or damage property.

A number of locations have been prepared for protests, although he will not say where.

The relay route through normally crowded Bangkok has been cordoned off with barricades to deter protests.

Rallying point

Networks and organisations planning pro-Tibet activities tomorrow include:

>> Free Tibet Network, Thai Labour Campaign Group, Chulalongkorn University social critics, Activists for Social Change, Young People for Democracy Movement and Workers Democracy.

>> Others include Reporters Without Borders and China pro-democracy and pro-Taiwan groups.

xtra
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"I spent a lot of my money on booze, birds and fast cars - the rest I just squandered". George Best.

[buksida]

Its all very well them railing on those evil foreigners but what will happen to Thai protesters? Will Samak shoot them all again?


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Named must your fear be before banish it you can.

[sandman67]

wouldn't it have been fun to combine this with Songkran.....

its also nice to see the peaceful sport loving spirit of the Games personified in security police, dogs, swat teams.....all in the hands of a fat fascist toad with a desperate need to look in control and sod all regard for the constitution.

Shame on all the participants. Shame on Thailand for being patsies to the Chinese Communist Party.....and there was me thinking SadSak hated commies.


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If I can't smoke and swear I'm f****d!
"To sin by silence makes cowards of men"

[buksida]

There are some good photos in The Nation on the torch protests, I wonder how many evil aliens were deported ...

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/04/20/headlines/headlines_30071101.php
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Named must your fear be before banish it you can.

[The understudy]

B

Hi there Y'all

I sas it in Tv the morning after the torch relay in bangers there was a short disruption of the Olympic Torch relay when @ one Point during the handover from one runner to the next confusion arose and Mann hands are in between that's when a spectator bot hold of DA Torch and dissapeared with it into thin Air. Luckily the had some spare Torches left and continued swiftly without any major delay. The guy who stole DA Torch was nowhere to be found. Damn lucky guy who snatched DA Torch! In 10 to 15 years time he can proudly proclaim "yo I snatched this Olympic Torch from DA Torch run Iin Bangkok in 08 Yo!!!"

Your's The understudy
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