BANGKOK // Thailand's political stand-off deepened yesterday as two leaders of the Red Shirt protest movement made a daring escape from a luxury hotel after it had been surrounded by dozens of police and military commandos.
The development embarrassed the government and left the security forces looking helpless, renewing speculation that the army is reluctant to crack down on the anti-government leaders after clashes between protesters and soldiers last Saturday left more than 20 people dead, including five soldiers.
In response, Mr Abhisit yesterday announced that he was putting his army chief, General Anupong Paochinda, in charge of security operations, replacing the deputy prime minister, who had been in charge of the failed action last weekend as well as yesterday's botched raid.
Arisamun Pongruengrong, one of the most wanted and militant leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, which is heading the Red Shirt movement, scaled down a rope from the balcony of his room on the third floor of the hotel - where he had been with a number of Red Shirt leaders - into the back of a pickup full of supporters. The lorry sped off to the main protest area in the heart of the capital city's commercial centre.
"They call me a terrorist; who's the terrorist?" he told The National on his arrival at the main stage. "Who has the guns? We don't."
The prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, and the deputy prime minister, Suthep Thaugsuban, have both accused "terrorists" among the protesters for the violence last weekend, and arrest warrants have been issued for nearly 20 Red Shirt leaders.
Mr Arisamun is high on the government's wanted list as he led the protesters' attack on parliament last Wednesday that spurred the declaration of a state of emergency by the prime minister that gives security forces increased power to remove the demonstrators.
"We will arrest and suppress the terrorists. We have set up special task forces to hunt down the terrorists," Mr Suthep told Thai journalists as the operation at the hotel was getting underway yesterday.
But the raid failed to net any of its intended targets. "Police kicked the door open and threw smoke and stun grenades into the room. Luckily I ran to the window and used an electric cord to climb down," Mr Arisamun said.
Thousands of protesters, wearing red clothes to identify themselves and their cause, greeted him like a hero. "It was an 007-style escape," a Red Shirt spokesman, Sean Boonpracong said. "This has given us strength - we are invincible."
The whole episode certainly buoyed the crowd which had begun to get weary after more than four weeks of protests in the streets of Bangkok. The charismatic politician immediately declared war on the government. "From now on our mission is to hunt down Abhisit and Suthep. Our patience is at its limit. This is a war between the government and the Red Shirts," he told the cheering crowds.
The Red Shirt protesters are mostly urban workers and rural people from the north and east of the country. Many of them support the former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a coup in 2006. They are demanding that Mr Abhisit dissolve parliament and call new elections.
So far, there has been little word from the government on the demand, and the prime minister has been keeping a low profile while at the army headquarters on the outskirts of Bangkok.
The mood on the streets of the city was subdued yesterday following the end of the three-day national festivities for Songkran, the Buddhist New Year, on Thursday.
"Mr Abhisit cannot continue to hide from the people," said Sathawut Srisaranukrom, 20, a law student. "He must hold elections as soon as possible and let the people decide who should be the government."
Senior religious leaders, including Buddhists, Muslims and Christians, also voiced their concern at last weekend's violence at a seminar at Chulalongkorn University on Thursday, and expressed their support for renewed talks between the two sides. "If they refuse to make compromises, it will turn into anarchy," said Phra Dharmakosajarn, the Buddhist Maha Chulalongkorn Rajvidyala University's rector.
There is increasing speculation that if the political deadlock continues, another military coup may be in the offing. What is certain is that there are increasing divisions within the army, leading many to suspect they will resist any fresh orders to disperse the protesters.
"There are some divisions in the armed forces," said Surachart Bumrungsuk, a military and politics professor at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.
"Some units don't want to be involved in such a crackdown, while others wanted it to be more assertive." Some of the demonstrators who were killed during the crackdown appear to have been soldiers, according to a source in the forensic team examining the bodies who declined to be identified. But it is unclear if they had joined in the protests or were plainclothes infiltrators.
foreign.desk@thenational.ae
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Previous men's records
- 2:01:39: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) on 16/9/19 in Berlin
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- 2:03:38: Patrick Makau (KEN) on 25/09/2011 in Berlin
- 2:03:59: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 28/09/2008 in Berlin
- 2:04:26: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 30/09/2007 in Berlin
- 2:04:55: Paul Tergat (KEN) on 28/09/2003 in Berlin
- 2:05:38: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 14/04/2002 in London
- 2:05:42: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 24/10/1999 in Chicago
- 2:06:05: Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 20/09/1998 in Berlin
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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more from Janine di Giovanni
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
MATCH INFO
Who: France v Italy
When: Friday, 11pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
