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119762
Sat, 05/01/2010 - 21:26
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Red Shirts attempt to explain Chulalongkorn Hospital incident to ICRC on Monday
BANGKOK, May 1 (TNA) - Thailand's anti-government 'Red Shirt' United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) announced Saturday that it will 'clarify' its storming of Chulalongkorn Hospital Thursday night to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Monday.
The UDD leaders also said that they have discussed the incident with the Chulalongkorn Hospital management and believe that the hospital will be ready to resume its services on Sunday.
UDD leader Weng Tojirakarn told reporters that Red Shirt leader Veera Musikapong telephoned hospital director Dr Adisorn Patradul and the Red Shirts would be pleased to facilitate the hospital and patients.
The Red Shirts will provide a safety zone for the hospital and will not allow soldiers or [other] armed persons to enter the hospital premises, he said, adding that it was expected that the hospital could resume its normal services on Sunday.
But Dr Adisorn reportedly said that the hospital would not reopen normal services until the protesters moved back to Sarasin intersection.
The government's Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) said the authorities will ask to reoccupy the area from Chulalongkorn Hospital to Sarasin intersection from the protesters on Sunday.
It said the authorities may use force to get to area back to facilitate the hospital staff if the talks with the UDD leaders failed.
Mr Weng, himself a medical doctor, said Mr Veera had also prepared a letter to clarify the hospital storming incident on April 29 that the protesters did not intend to threaten but searching was carried out because they received information that soldiers were hiding in the hospital and that they were prepared to disperse the protesters.
The letter would be submitted to the ICRC at its Bangkok Regional Office in Sukhumvit area on Monday at 11am, he said.
A group of UDD protesters stormed the hospital Thursday night on suspicious that armed soldiers were staying inside the hospital building.
No soldiers were found, but the hospital moved inpatients out of the hospital to other hospitals. Some patients whose symptoms were not too severe were allowed to return home late Thursday and early Friday.
Jatuporn Prompan, another key UDD leader said that even if the cabinet would approve to use martial law, the Red Shirt protesters would not move from its protest site at Ratchaprasong intersection.
He claimed that since on Sunday, more Red Shirt supporters from across the nation would join the demonstration.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban earlier told reporters that Prime Minsiter Abhisit Vejjajiva would chair a special cabinet meeting at 11th Infantry Regiment on Sunday at 10.30am but that the Cabinet would not consider implementing martial law.
As for the searching of a UDD leader Suporn Atthawong's room by the officials from the Department of Special Investigation, and found bomb triggers, bullets and documents, Mr Jatuporn said Mr Suporn had affirmed that there was never be any armed in his room.
Therefore, he was not sure that it was set up by the authorities or not as the searching was carried while Mr Suporn was not present. The DSI raided Mr Suporn's room to arrest him as he was earlier issued an arrest warrant. (TNA)
The UDD leaders also said that they have discussed the incident with the Chulalongkorn Hospital management and believe that the hospital will be ready to resume its services on Sunday.
UDD leader Weng Tojirakarn told reporters that Red Shirt leader Veera Musikapong telephoned hospital director Dr Adisorn Patradul and the Red Shirts would be pleased to facilitate the hospital and patients.
The Red Shirts will provide a safety zone for the hospital and will not allow soldiers or [other] armed persons to enter the hospital premises, he said, adding that it was expected that the hospital could resume its normal services on Sunday.
But Dr Adisorn reportedly said that the hospital would not reopen normal services until the protesters moved back to Sarasin intersection.
The government's Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) said the authorities will ask to reoccupy the area from Chulalongkorn Hospital to Sarasin intersection from the protesters on Sunday.
It said the authorities may use force to get to area back to facilitate the hospital staff if the talks with the UDD leaders failed.
Mr Weng, himself a medical doctor, said Mr Veera had also prepared a letter to clarify the hospital storming incident on April 29 that the protesters did not intend to threaten but searching was carried out because they received information that soldiers were hiding in the hospital and that they were prepared to disperse the protesters.
The letter would be submitted to the ICRC at its Bangkok Regional Office in Sukhumvit area on Monday at 11am, he said.
A group of UDD protesters stormed the hospital Thursday night on suspicious that armed soldiers were staying inside the hospital building.
No soldiers were found, but the hospital moved inpatients out of the hospital to other hospitals. Some patients whose symptoms were not too severe were allowed to return home late Thursday and early Friday.
Jatuporn Prompan, another key UDD leader said that even if the cabinet would approve to use martial law, the Red Shirt protesters would not move from its protest site at Ratchaprasong intersection.
He claimed that since on Sunday, more Red Shirt supporters from across the nation would join the demonstration.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban earlier told reporters that Prime Minsiter Abhisit Vejjajiva would chair a special cabinet meeting at 11th Infantry Regiment on Sunday at 10.30am but that the Cabinet would not consider implementing martial law.
As for the searching of a UDD leader Suporn Atthawong's room by the officials from the Department of Special Investigation, and found bomb triggers, bullets and documents, Mr Jatuporn said Mr Suporn had affirmed that there was never be any armed in his room.
Therefore, he was not sure that it was set up by the authorities or not as the searching was carried while Mr Suporn was not present. The DSI raided Mr Suporn's room to arrest him as he was earlier issued an arrest warrant. (TNA)
