Villagers Hurt as Police Charge Thailand Pipeline Protest by Phairath Khampha 28 December 2002 Riot police in Thailand baton-charged Muslim villagers opposing the Thai-Malaysian gas pipeline project the night of December 20, 2002, injuring several of them. The villagers, about 2,000 strong, had gathered near the Dusit JB hotel, in Hat Yai, when about 1,000 police in riot gear baton-charged them to prevent them from getting closer to the hotel, where a mobile cabinet meeting was to take place that weekend. The police attack came around 8.45pm as the largely-Muslim villagers were about to have their evening prayer. During the 30-minute operation, the police, in typical Thai brutal ruthlessness, also destroyed a number of vehicles and sound equipment belonging to the demonstators, witnesses said. Twelve of their leaders--including Banchong Nasae, Uthen Chiansaen and Kittiphop Sithisawang--were arrested and dragged away into the hotel. The action caused alarm in Thailand's population as it appeared the prime minister was attempting to use dictatorial measures to usurp complete power. Osoh Sama, 38, said she saw a student got hit in the head during the melee. The villagers were gathering peacefully when they were attacked, she said. National police chief Sant Sarutanont said he had reported to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh prior to the police action. "The prime minister told us to exercise utmost patience and avoid violence," said Pol Gen Sant. "But I guess we were unable to" Nevertheless, he defended the police action, saying it was necessary to prevent the villagers getting too close to the hotel. " We had to push them out as the villagers had moved closer to the hotel beyond the 200-metre limit. We could not afford to let them move closer. We are committed to maintaining law and order, even if there was hardly any of the latter after we were finished." said Pol Gen Sant. The violent police action came as Mr Thaksin was basking in the limelight after his meeting with Pak Moon dam opponents in Bangkok ended with a big praise for him from the villagers, who were happy with his promise to look into their plight personally. Sulaiman Madyusoh, a protest leader, said the police attack was unexpected. The protesters had an advance agreement with Watcharaphan Chantarakachorn, the prime minister's assistant secretary-general, about the site of their protest rally near the hotel, he said. Also, they had not done anything provocative to warrant the police's use of force. "We had to get to the (protest) site today (last night) to ensure a place where we could reach the prime minister and submit a letter to him. The protesters had not stepped out of the defined space (for their rally) already marked out by an iron fence," Mr Sulaiman said. Earlier that same day, opponents of the long-delayed pipeline project renewed their protest and travelled from Chana district into Hat Yai. They first gathered in late afternoon at Lan Hoi Siab beach, in Sakom sub-district of Chana, where the pipeline would come onshore. At 4 pm, the protesters began to leave Lan Hoi Siab for the Dusit JB hotel in Hat Yai, travelling in a convoy of more than 30 pickup trucks, small buses and motorcycles. As soon as they arrived at Na Mom district, about 10km from Hat Yai, their vehicles were halted at a police checkpoint. There was a minor scuffle before police at the checkpoint allowed old people among the protesters to ride into Hat Yai. All other younger protesters had to continue on their way by foot. Alisa Manla, a protest leader, said pipeline opponents from Chana, Na Mom and Sadao wanted to submit a letter to the prime minister today calling for the project to be scrapped. "We will not let the government go ahead with the project. We promise to unite and fight until we all die," she said but added their protest demonstration would be a peaceful one. The pipeline project was raised for discussion at the first-ever joint Thai-Malaysian cabinet meeting that weekend. The pipeline, a financial boon for Thailand's and Malaysia' economic and political elite, would destroy the livelihoods of many poor farmers on the Thai side of the border because their land would be needed for the project. In Thailand, compensation for such projects is pitifully low and the money the farmers receive is used up quickly and then they have even no land to grow subsistence food. Hence, the reason for the protests.