Bangkok Police open 4 roads but 10 still blocked

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PROTEST
Police open 4 roads but 10 still blocked
The Nation

BANGKOK: -- CITY POLICE yesterday opened four of 14 roads closed to traffic around Government House because of road snarls caused by the security move on Sunday.

On Sri Ayutthaya Road, motorists can travel from the Army's First Infantry Division Junction to Marble Temple Junction.

On Ratchawithi Road, vehicles are allowed near Parliament. Two other roads - Sukhothai and Ratchasima - are presently open for traffic too.

Some 50 traffic police have been deployed to facilitate traffic flow near Government House and Parliament.

Police had been concerned protesters may have a plan to seize or encroach on Government House or the Parliament.

National police chief General Adul Sangsingkaew said part of the traffic jam was attributed to the surge of almost 2,000 protesters at Urupong. Organisers had expanded the rally site from three to eight tents and allowed vehicles to park, he said.

Newly arrived protesters came from Buri Ram, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Surat Thani, a police spokesman said.

Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was puzzled the government had tried to downplay the protests but at the same time appeared to overreact in security measures. Passers-by could see more policemen than protesters at Urupong, he said.

Meanwhile, protesters at Urupong had no plans to move to Government House at this point, organisers said yesterday. "Protesters will review the situation in the next few days before finalising their decision," rally organiser Uthai Yodmanee said.

While most organisers and protesters from the Students and People's Network for Thailand Reform want to relocate the rally to the seat of government, they would assess the situation before making such a move, he said.

The network is a splinter group of the People's Army against the Thaksin Regime, which is leading the rally at Lumpini Park.

Uthai said protesters would not vacate Urupong even if the government extended security measures over to the rally site.

Enforcement of the Internal Security Act over the three Bangkok districts would continue until the October 18 deadline, deputy secretary general to the prime minister Thawat Boonfueng said. Police chief Adul would be in charge of recommending the ISA extension if it was deemed necessary, Thawat said.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said security authorities were assessing the situation before deciding whether to cancel or to continue the move.

Yingluck said the government had no intention to inconvenience Bangkok residents or motorists, and pledged to restore normalcy as soon as possible. She called on protesters to engage in talks to try to resolve political differences.


-- The Nation 2013-10-15

[Lite Beer]

No need to extend security law in Bangkok: Police
By English News

BANGKOK, Oct 15 - The Internal Security Act (ISA) now imposed in some districts of the Thai capital to maintain law and order during political demonstrations need not be extended as the situation will likely improve, said a senior police officer.

Bangkok Metropolitan Police deputy commander Pol Maj Gen Adul Narongsak spoke in response to the ongoing anti-government protests by the Network of Students and People for the Reform of Thailand (NSPRT) at Urupong intersection as the rally site is outside the designated ISA enforcement areas, and the security law is due to expire Thursday.

Gen Adul said the situation is likely to improve. No protesters have tried to occupy key state buildings or compounds like Government House or the Parliament.

He said the police decided to reopen 14 routes last night.

As of now, the ISA enforcement area and timeframe will not be extended. However, it also depends on the decision of national police chief Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew who heads the Centre for Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO).

Ill-intended persons spread a local plant, mucuna pruriens, which causes severe itching and stinging, among the protesters last night, Gen Adul said. Some 20 demonstrators reacted to the plant, but the general said the police had no anti-toxins in their first aid kits and that it was beyond police capability to deal with.

He said police have monitored the overall situation at the rally site, but those who carried in the poison ivy-like herb were disguised as protesters.

The affected protesters have returned to the rally site and no one filed a legal complaint with police.

Meanwhile, Suporn Attawong, deputy secretary-general to the premier, said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has instructed the authorities to continue assessing the situation, and noting the numbers of those who joined the rallies.

He said the national police chief will report to the prime minister on Thursday as to whether the ISA should remain in force or be extended.

Three groups are now demonstrating against the government separately in Bangkok: the (NSPRT) at Urupong intersection, the People’s Army against the Thaksin Region at Lumpini Park and the Farmers’ Debt Network under the Rama VI expressway. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2013-10-15

[tonneke breda]

Oooh dear, have you confirmed that with the"Boss" yet???