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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 BANGKOK 001914 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MLS 
NSC FOR MORROW 
PACOM FOR FPA (HUSO) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/02/2017 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM ASEC TH
SUBJECT: THAILAND: MARCH 30 ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS 
PEACEFUL 
 
REF: A. BANGKOK 01875 (WILL HE OR WON'T HE?: DEBATE ON 
 
        EMERGENCY DECREE) 
     ¶B. BANGKOK 01871 (EMERGENCY DECREE) 
     ¶C. BANGKOK 01869 (OUR LATEST CHALLENGE) 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Susan M. Sutton. Reason 1.4 (b,d) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary.  The anti-government protests in Bangkok that 
inspired proposals by some RTG leaders to declare a "state of 
emergency" went off peacefully on the evening of March 30. 
Polcouns and poloff joined an estimated 2000 people gathered 
in front of City Hall to hear People's Television (PTV) 
leaders complain about the interim government and praise 
ousted PM Thaksin.  The crowd was energetically pro-Thaksin. 
PTV leaders have called for a repeat rally to be held on 
April 8.  Despite government efforts to close Sanam 
Luang--Thailand's National Mall downtown--local media 
reported that 100-300 people gathered there in a separate, 
peaceful protest against the interim government.  End 
Summary. 
 
PROTEST SEASON RETURNS TO BANGKOK 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Polcouns and poloff joined at least 2000 people 
gathered in front of Bangkok City Hall on March 30 to hear 
leaders from the pro-Thaksin People's Television (PTV) 
excoriate the current government and praise the deposed Prime 
Minister.  The rally--which was originally to be held at 
Sanam Luang, leading authorities to close that space and post 
police there--was the second organized by PTV.  The crowd was 
a solid mix of lower and middle class Thai, in contrast to 
the overwhelmingly upper and middle class crowd that 
protested against Thaksin in 2005 and 2006.  Volunteers from 
the "Thai Say No" group handed out flyers calling for voters 
to reject the draft constitution.  A separate group of 
volunteers circulated a petition calling on the King to 
dismiss Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda (Note: a 
rather direct challenge to Prem that has not been widely 
reported in local news. End Note.) 
 
¶3. (C) PTV leaders Veera Musigapong, Chakrapop Penkae, 
Nathawuth Saikua, among others, took turns attacking the 
interim government on a range of issues, from the junta's 
unwillingness to grant PTV a satellite concession (necessary 
for broadcasting) to efforts to force through a new, 
"undemocratic" constitution.  While the crowd offered 
applause and scattered cheers on these points, any mention of 
deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was greeted with 
effusive crowd reaction.  Chakrapop, who was photographed 
meeting with Thaksin in Beijing recently--a story that 
grabbed front-page coverage in local papers--proudly 
confirmed his meeting with the former PM, saying that he 
"loves" him and wanted to make sure that Thaksin was OK. 
Several bystanders engaged poloff in conversation throughout 
the evening, with all of them expressing strong opposition to 
the coup and equally strong support for Thaksin.  As one 
older businessman from a rural background put it, "Thaksin 
was the best Prime Minister...he will return, definitely." 
 
¶4. (C) Notably absent from the City Hall rally were activists 
from the "pure democracy" camp, (i.e. those opposed to both 
Thaksin and the current government.)  Meanwhile, local press 
reported that 100-300 members of the "White Dove 2006" and 
"Saturday People Objecting to the Dictatorship" groups--which 
mirror PTV activists in their opposition to the current 
government and support for Thaksin--defied the ban on 
gatherings at Sanam Luang and held their own, albeit smaller, 
rally there.  Police contacts confirmed that no protesters 
from any political group were arrested over the weekend, 
though the front page of the English-language "Nation" 
newspaper showed a protester being forcibly pushed to the 
ground as police dismantled a tent on Sanam Luang. 
 
WHERE WAS THE BEEF? 
------------------- 
 
¶5. (C) Despite much public angst by RTG leaders over the 
threat of violent clashes stemming from the rally--which 
 
BANGKOK 00001914  002 OF 002 
 
 
inspired reftel debate over declaring a state of emergency in 
Bangkok--the protest was conducted peacefully.  While police 
officers from a variety of units were stationed at the rally, 
no military personnel were visible.  The only notable 
incident of the evening occurred shortly after 2100 hours, 
when Bangkok Metropolitan Police Chief Adisorn Nonsi tried to 
move from the outside, gated perimeter of the protest to the 
back of the stage area.  A scrum of journalists and cameramen 
surrounding Adisorn were soon joined by a more boisterous 
group of 30-50 protesters shouting "get out."  Adisorn was 
quickly pushed back to the safety of the City Hall steps 
directly behind the stage, where a phalanx of policemen 
stepped in to peacefully, yet firmly, dissuade the crowd from 
pursuing.  The brief incident failed to interrupt the PTV 
speaker on stage, but produced a number of rumors in the 
crowd, with several people erroneously telling poloff (who 
witnessed the event) that the police had arrested a number of 
protesters. 
 
 
HOPING THAT LIGHTNING WILL STRIKE TWICE 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (C)  The rally was eerily similar to those led by 
anti-Thaksin media mogul Sonthi Limthongul last year, which 
helped lay the groundwork for the September 19 coup.  A large 
stage, complete with drum kit and flanked by large projection 
screens, provided the platform for PTV executives to speak. 
An impressive, motorized camera crane and series of cameramen 
provided crowd shots and footage for the soon to be produced 
DVD film of the event.  According to a journalist contact, 
PTV leaders are consciously copying Sonthi Limthongul's 
model, in the hopes that a sustained series of protests, 
complete with streaming video coverage on the internet, will 
continue to grow in size and force the current government out 
of office. 
ARVIZU