Quote:Critical time for political party games

Thai Rath analysis _ With six days to go before the Dec 23 general election, tension still looms large over the main protagonists on both sides of the political divide. Time has not healed the wounds caused by the boycott of the April 2006 snap election by the Democrats, Chartthai and Mahachon parties. The absence of the three parties forced then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party to adopt strategies later ruled by the Constitutional Tribunal as acts of poll fraud. The TRT was dissolved and Mr Thaksin and his 110 executive members were barred from politics for five years.

Thaksin's loyalists are now together under the People Power party (PPP), which until last week was still favoured to win the highest number of seats in Parliament's lower house.

The prospect of Mr Thaksin returning to power certainly does not augur well for the military officers who engineered the Sept 19, 2006 coup against him. If they try to act, it could perpetuate another round of political conflict.

The short period before Dec 23 will be crucial, as the main protagonists will continue to play games that will not be apparent to the general public. With pollsters barred from publicising the outcome of their surveys, the real battle will be fought underground. It could be very intense as both sides cannot afford to lose.

A ''third party'' might take this opportunity to stir things up. Acts of sabotage might be carried out with the aim of aborting the Dec 23 polls.

The PPP itself is facing investigation over actions that may be deemed in violation of the Election Act. What if the PPP is dissolved and saboteurs are let loose to create disturbance?

The last statement is interesting to scary to contemplate. What if - the PPP wins the election and then is disbanded for a second time? Will the people in the North and Northeast sit still again and just accept it? I was told the other day when i mentioned about the PPP being dissolved like the TRT that Thailand may erupt this time. I hope level heads prevail and all goes smoothly for Thailand and the Thai people's sake.

Quote:Hand grenade left in front of PPP's Lardprao office

Two men left a hand grenade in front of an office of the People Power Party in Bangkok's Lardprao district Monday night, police said.

The two also detonated a smoke bomb before fleeing the scene.

Two patrol policemen on a motorcycle happened to see the two men who have just left MK-2 grenade beside a cooler in front of the office at 9:45 pm.

The two men managed to flee on their motorcycle and the chasing police motorcycle failed to catch up with them.

The Nation

Quote:PPP's office in Bangkok attacked

(BangkokPost.com) - Police believed bombing at the People Power party's office in Lat Phrao district late Monday night is meant to threaten party members.

The comment of deputy chief of Metropolitan Police Bureau Witthaya Kosiyasathit came after two bombs, a smoke bomb and a hand grenade, were thrown into the party's office at 10pm on Monday.

According to eye-witnesses, two suspects rode a black motorcycle, with no license plate, and threw the bomb into the office before fleeing.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said on Tuesday that he has been informed of the bombing, adding that police are trying to find the two suspects.

He added that authorities are trying their best to prevent violence from happening.

Quote:Abhisit escapes car accident with minor injuries


(BangkokPost.com) - Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva was injured in an accident between his BMW and a 6-wheeled truck in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Mr Abhisit was on his way back to Bangkok from Nakhon Ratchasima where he had been supporting Democrat party candidates with their election campaigns when the truck cut him off on Mitraparp road, Saraburi province.

The driver of the BMW, 36-year-old Thanusilp Chaichart, told police after the accident that he had been driving at high speed when the truck emerged from a petrol station on the left side of the road and immediately tried to make it to the far right lane to do a U-turn. Mr Thanusilp was unable to step on the brakes in time to avoid the collision.

Mr Abhisit received minor injuries but has now returned home to Bangkok.

Quote:Abhisit's car crashes into truck in Saraburi

Saraburi - A sedan car of Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva crashed into the rear of a six-wheel truck here late Monday night.

Abhisit escaped uninjured in the accident which happened at 12:30 am on the Mittraparp Road in Tambon Taldiew of Kaengkoy district.

His driver, Thanusil Chaichart, 36, said the truck made a sudden cut into his way to make a u-turn so he could stop his car in time.

Abhisit said he was heading to Nakhon Ratchasima to help Democrat candidates campaign. He left the scene back to Bangkok following the accident.

The Nation

Quote:Hand grenade left in front of PPP's Lardprao office

Two men left a hand grenade in front of an office of the People Power Party in Bangkok's Lardprao district Monday night, police said.

The two also detonated a smoke bomb before fleeing the scene

Pre-election violence has started already