5,000 Police, Troops On Alert To Maintain Security During Red Shirt Protests

[webfact]

5,000 police, troops on alert

By THE NATION

Protesters to gather at jails around country, as well as in Chiang Mai, Bangkok

The Centre for Resolution of the Emergency the Situation (CRES) yesterday issued three iron-clad rules prohibiting red-shirt protesters from activities affecting public and prepared 5,000 security officials to maintain security from September 17-19, while Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva admitted Thai intelligence agencies had warned of assassination plans against the country's important persons.

The CRES called an urgent meeting yesterday afternoon to discuss the red-shirt's planned rally on September 17-18 and especially September 19. CRES spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the meeting understood that the rally was the group's right to express political views and the protest leaders would keep it peaceful and according to the law because everyone wanted the country to progress. There were however some information suggesting that ill-intention group might use the opportunity to create violence hence CRES set three-rule guideline as followed:

1. The action framework must be clearly set about what protest leaders and demonstrators could or could not do so they would refrain from law violation or public disturbance.

2. The negotiations with leading demonstrators would mainly use police to avoid dispute, violence or chaos.

3. As the demonstrators' intention wasn't to cause chaos, CRES would look whether it affect the public or not and CRES has assigned the police force to be in charge of operations, while army would in at their bases, well-prepared to assist police in providing security at various places upon request.

Police spokesman Pol Maj Gen Piya Uthayo commented of the demonstrators' plan to lay flowers in front of all prisons that police had already contacted all prisons to allow demonstrators to do activities on footpath but prohibit them from entering the prisons.

The protest mustn't linger and the police would talk to leading protesters from now on, he said urging that the balloon-releasing in Chiang Mai was doable but police would proceed legal actions if the balloons were attached with law-violating messages. He said Metropolitan Police overseeing Bangkok would prepare 600 officers on September 17, and 1,800 officers on September 19, with seven companies of soldiers as backup. In Chiang Mai, 1,800 officers were to provide security. Police would also have a teleconference to update situations everyday at 10.00am.

Following the First Army Region Commander Lt Gen Kanit Sapithak's previous comment to media that there were assassination attempts against certain VIPs, the premier confirmed yesterday that they received reports of assassination plans against some VIPs on periodical basis, to which the government was caution and careful.

Meanwhile, Kanit yesterday said the law and order maintaining during the red-shirt rally was police's responsibility but the army would prepare to help upon request.

Expressing his confidence that the situation would not get out of control because all Thais have learnt many painful lessons in the past, he said that they would have to watch out for the third party aiming to create chaos during the protest and urged people to help surveillance such things.

Asked whether the intelligence agencies had found any plans to carry out a massacre, a car bomb attack, or an assassination of VIPs, he laughed and said, "It's just a report, we haven't got clear evidences yet."

Declined to say exactly how many troops were prepared for the rally, he said the soldier deployment would be divided in three steps depending on the severity of situation. Firstly the military police officers and some soldiers would be on duty. Secondly, the backup forces would be prepared to mobilize upon an order. Thirdly, the reinforcements would be deployed.

Meanwhile, police spokesman Pol Maj-Gen Prawut Thavornsiri said police chief Pol Gen Wichean Potephosree has urged police nationwide to take strict legal action against any protesters who break the law, such as setting up a road block, obstructing people from traveling to and from their residences, inciting unrest and causing physical harm to others. The punishment according to the state of emergency law was two years in jail and up to Bt40,000 in fine.

Meanwhile a Thai intelligence source said that the red-shirt found themselves with a leadership vacuum with many leaders in jail and others in hiding, hence red-shirt activist Sombat Boonngamanong emerged as a leader gathering demonstrators and trying to rid of the previous violent image to get more sympathetics especially those unhappy with the government works for being double standard, corruption and arresting students. Many leaders in jail were reportedly upset with Sombat's emergence. Besides Sombat's group, there were other two groups of red-shirts to watch for. The group that believed violent means would lead to change and the other group of upcountry red-shirts who were vote-canvassers, the source said.

Meanwhile, Puea Thai list MP and red-shirt leading member, Jatuporn Prompan said he would file a criminal case against the government in the World Court over the death of 91 people during the crackdown on red-shirt protesters between April 10 and May 19. The international law office of Amsterdam and Peroff would handle the case and Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra would be a co-plaintiff in the case, he said. He said he had a red shirt, who tried to help the fatally shot Col Romklao Thuwatham, former deputy chief-of-staff of the 2nd Infantry Regiment, until he himself was seriously injured during the April 10 clash, to testify that it was the doing of rival army soldiers not by the red-shirts as accused. The man was still being treated thus couldn't show himself in front of public yesterday, Jatuporn said. He said he would wait for the Criminal Court ruling on Sept 27 if the court allowed an autopsy on nine of the dead victims, a team of doctors would be brought from abroad, along with a Amsterdam and Peroff legal team, to observe the autopsy.

In related news, the Provincial Police Region 5 yesterday morning hosted a meeting for the cases in Chiang Mai and vicinity areas especially the M79 grenade attacks on a military camp and the business of the father-in-law of Newin Chidchob. It was reported that security camera footage showed the suspected assailant as a man wearing white shorts, black shirt, and black cap in the back of one of two Toyota Vigo pickup trucks parked outside the construction company of Newin's father-in-law. The suspect carrying the grenade launcher went into a nearby orange stand to get a proper range to shoot the grenade, shot it and returned to the truck calmly.

-- The Nation 2010-09-15

[whybother]

Puea Thai list MP and red-shirt leading member, Jatuporn Prompan said he would file a criminal case against the government in the World Court over the death of 91 people during the crackdown on red-shirt protesters between April 10 and May 19.

Won't that put himself up for possible charges, given that he and the leaders were responsible for some of the 91 dead (soldiers and some reporters and civilians)?

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra would be a co-plaintiff in the case

What does Thaksin have to do with it? He wasn't here. He wasn't involved ... or so he says.

The man was still being treated thus couldn't show himself in front of public yesterday,

They can drag dead people up on stage in front of thousands, but can't put an injured man in front of a few journalists!!

[SomTumTiger]

Red Shirts - good people with good intentions, who have been duped by idiots like Jatuporn.

[Robby nz]

Wasnt it only yesterday that Thaksin wanted reconciliation?

Now he wants to sue the Govt.

His idea of reconciliation?

[AlanL1275]

They are terrorists. They should be treated as such. When violence started the last time they could have walked away and not been associated with it. Instead they stayed with it, launched M-79 grenades, killed innocent people, and burned buildings down. They cost Thailand dearly, including themselves, and all fellow Thais.

[monkfish]

Did they ever find out who the cop was delevering the 100 M79 granades too?

[junglist]

Red Shirts - good people with good intentions, who have been duped by idiots like Jatuporn.

true true but he is not an idiot. Just a evil person.

[selftaopath]

5, 000 or 5,000,000 multiplied by 0 equals ZERO.

[asiawatcher]

Red Shirts - good people with good intentions, who have been duped by idiots like Jatuporn.

I would have to partially agree. The red shirt farmers have a gripe and their needs should be addressed. The hardline and Jatuporn supporters are the dangerous ones along with their private army of motorcyclists.

[rubl]

Wasnt it only yesterday that Thaksin wanted reconciliation?

Now he wants to sue the Govt.

His idea of reconciliation?

Incorrect. The totally independent, trustworthy and generally respected UDD leader and PTP MP K. Jatuporn will sue the government

(edit: change PM to MP, no promotion yet)

Edited September 15, 2010 by rubl