ID :
107328
Thu, 02/18/2010 - 20:13
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http://m.oananews.org//node/107328
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Hundreds of police being deployed for Red Shirt protest at
BANGKOK, Feb 18 (TNA) - Bangkok Metropolitan Police will deploy 550 police officers to maintain order as the anti-government Red Shirts led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) plan to rally at the Bangkok Bank headquarters in the capital's Silom Road central business district afternoon.
Metropolitan police spokesman Maj-Gen Piya Uthayo said police will control the crowd and record both video footage and still pictures of the demonstration as evidence, while police and bomb squad units will inspect the rally venue before the protest begins.
The UDD rally at Bangkok Bank is aimed at disclosing information claiming that Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda unfairly favoured a group of businesspersons investing in a golf resort in the eastern province of Chanthaburi.
Gen Piya said a reserve force of metropolitan police will reach the scene within an hour if any emergency happens, while officers will also observe the movement from nearby tall buildings.
The police spokesman warned that protesters violating the law will be arrested.
No so-called 'third party' interlopers who plan to create disturbances have been indicated in intelligence reports, Gen Piya said, adding that the metropolitan police commander also instructed officers stationed at checkpoints across the capital will focus on the search for firearms, bombs and drugs.
Bangkok Bank senior executive vice president Teera Apaiwong said Thursday that bank headquarters will open one hour earlier than normal on Friday, starting from 7.30am to 3.30pm (0730 to1530 hours) to facilitate bank clients.
Mr Teera advised clients to use other branches' services instead to avoid the rally.
The Red Shirts earlier announced rallies against the government throughout the month to raise the political temperature ahead of Feb 26, the date which the Supreme Court's Criminal Division of Holders of Political Positions will rule whether or not to seize the Bt76 billion assets of convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban on Thursday said that he has instructed security personnel to rehearse their response in handling the anti-government Red Shirt protesters Saturday at the 11 Infantry Battalion (King's Guards) in the Bangkok suburbs.
Mr Suthep said that he has also ordered security-related agencies to tighten security at financial institutions and the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), while the newly-established panel to evaluate the situation during this period has assigned the foreign ministry to explain the situation ahead of the court verdict on Bt76 billion in frozen assets of ousted premier Thaksin to other countries.
Meanwhile, key Red Shirt leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) Jatuporn Prompan reaffirmed Thursday that Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suwit Khunkitti ordered the mobilisation of thousands of rangers nationwide in a bid to prevent the Red Shirts supporters from gathering in Bangkok.
Although Mr Suwit earlier dismissed the accusation as totally unfounded, Mr Jatuporn said that the plot did exist, with 3,000 rangers assigned to block UDD protesters, while another 3,000 are said to be helping military personnel to control the situation.
When the plan was exposed, said Mr Jatuporn, Mr Suwit decided to reduce the number of rangers to 3,000 and take them to a seminar in Kanchanaburi province on February 24 instead.
Following an interview with Army Maj-Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol who said he will form a people's armed force and train them to use firearms to serve as guards of the Red Shirt protesters, Supreme Commander Gen Songkitti Jakkabatra reasserted Thursday that no one may set up such an armed force, except army and police.
Gen Songkitti asserted that the formation of the armed force is illegal and that legal action will be taken against those are involved with the matter. (TNA)
Metropolitan police spokesman Maj-Gen Piya Uthayo said police will control the crowd and record both video footage and still pictures of the demonstration as evidence, while police and bomb squad units will inspect the rally venue before the protest begins.
The UDD rally at Bangkok Bank is aimed at disclosing information claiming that Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda unfairly favoured a group of businesspersons investing in a golf resort in the eastern province of Chanthaburi.
Gen Piya said a reserve force of metropolitan police will reach the scene within an hour if any emergency happens, while officers will also observe the movement from nearby tall buildings.
The police spokesman warned that protesters violating the law will be arrested.
No so-called 'third party' interlopers who plan to create disturbances have been indicated in intelligence reports, Gen Piya said, adding that the metropolitan police commander also instructed officers stationed at checkpoints across the capital will focus on the search for firearms, bombs and drugs.
Bangkok Bank senior executive vice president Teera Apaiwong said Thursday that bank headquarters will open one hour earlier than normal on Friday, starting from 7.30am to 3.30pm (0730 to1530 hours) to facilitate bank clients.
Mr Teera advised clients to use other branches' services instead to avoid the rally.
The Red Shirts earlier announced rallies against the government throughout the month to raise the political temperature ahead of Feb 26, the date which the Supreme Court's Criminal Division of Holders of Political Positions will rule whether or not to seize the Bt76 billion assets of convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban on Thursday said that he has instructed security personnel to rehearse their response in handling the anti-government Red Shirt protesters Saturday at the 11 Infantry Battalion (King's Guards) in the Bangkok suburbs.
Mr Suthep said that he has also ordered security-related agencies to tighten security at financial institutions and the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), while the newly-established panel to evaluate the situation during this period has assigned the foreign ministry to explain the situation ahead of the court verdict on Bt76 billion in frozen assets of ousted premier Thaksin to other countries.
Meanwhile, key Red Shirt leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) Jatuporn Prompan reaffirmed Thursday that Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suwit Khunkitti ordered the mobilisation of thousands of rangers nationwide in a bid to prevent the Red Shirts supporters from gathering in Bangkok.
Although Mr Suwit earlier dismissed the accusation as totally unfounded, Mr Jatuporn said that the plot did exist, with 3,000 rangers assigned to block UDD protesters, while another 3,000 are said to be helping military personnel to control the situation.
When the plan was exposed, said Mr Jatuporn, Mr Suwit decided to reduce the number of rangers to 3,000 and take them to a seminar in Kanchanaburi province on February 24 instead.
Following an interview with Army Maj-Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol who said he will form a people's armed force and train them to use firearms to serve as guards of the Red Shirt protesters, Supreme Commander Gen Songkitti Jakkabatra reasserted Thursday that no one may set up such an armed force, except army and police.
Gen Songkitti asserted that the formation of the armed force is illegal and that legal action will be taken against those are involved with the matter. (TNA)
