INTERIOR MINISTER ASSIGNED EVERY PROVINCIAL GOVERNOR TO MONITOR ON THE SUPPORTERS OF MEDIA TYCOON SONTHI

Interior Minister KONGSAK WANTHANA (คงศักดิ์ วันทนา) has assigned the governors of every province in Thailand to monitor the movement of the supporters of media tycoon SONTHI LIMTHONGKUL (สนธิ ลิ้มทองกุล).

He added that related departments have been instructed to catch up with the movement of those who support the founder of Manager Newspaper and the host of TV program ‘Thailand Weekly’ in order to prevent the third party to stir up any violence. As for the big provinces such as UDONTHANI (อุดรธานี) and KHONKAEN (ขอนแก่น), the Minister has asked the governors to cooperate with security departments to investigate the movement of the group.

However, the group can make the movement if it does not start any public disorder.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 23 November 2005

The noose is tightening....

The OP is all about supression....asking provincial governors to monitor the supporters of Sondi Limthongkul, one of the few Thais to have the guts to stand up to Thaksin, will inevitably lead to a restriction of the freedom of movement of those supporters - ordinary Thai people who are fed up with this authoritarian and totally corrupt government and who want to simply join others in support of an individual who wants to bring about change.

i.e. the government will do everything in it's power to prevent Thais assembling peacefully behind Sondhi....in an effort to prevent a "snowball effect" of common nation-wide support.

Again, the government will show scant regard for the rights of Thai citizens in it's effort to cling onto unbriddled power and censorship.

Good luck to Sondhi and his supporters in the coming days...they're going to need it!

Also, me thinks, this Friday's weekly meeting at Lumpini Park, where Sonthi is to again address his supporters will become a flash point in the struggle to overthrow Thaksin.