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121565
Wed, 05/12/2010 - 11:41
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http://m.oananews.org//node/121565
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Thai PM tells Red Shirt protesters to end rally Wednesday
BANGKOK, May 12 (TNA) - Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Tuesday told the anti-government 'Red Shirt' United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protesters encamped at Ratchaprasong since early April to end their rally Wednesday and return home.
Mr Abhisit told reporters that if Red Shirt leaders agreed with his five-point road map to national reconciliation and the proposed general election November 14, they should stand behind their words with actions by announcing the end of the demonstration and let the protesters return home on Wednesday unconditionally.
If the UDD did not end their rally today, the prime minister said, the government has every right to take action to return Ratchaprasong to the public because the protest has caused trouble to the public long enough.
"The patience of people affected by the protest is diminishing and it is a risk for the loss of life, both inside and outside the protest area, if the rally is still going on. No one benefits from the prolonged protest," Mr Abhisit said.
The UDD leaders should say they accept or reject his planned road map, rather than continuing to defy by raising more and more conditions, the prime minister said.
The Red Shirt leaders on Tuesday said they would continue protesting at Bangkok’s prime commercial area in Ratchaprasong until Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban surrenders to police to face charges for his role in the deadly April 10 crackdown.
They said the Red Shirt supporters would not fold their tents and go home until Mr Suthep surrenders to police and entered the judicial process.
Mr Abhisit said the UDD's demand that he himself and Mr Suthep surrender to the authyorities was not the issue because he had said that a independent panel is to be set up to probe the inciden. He emphasised that Mr Suthep's appearance at the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Tuesday was not considered a surrender, but he was there to show government's intention and willingness to be scrutinised under legal procedures.
Mr Suthep could not surrender at any agency as there has been no arrest warrant or summons issued, he said.
The prime minister said he considered the UDD prolonging the protest as meaning that they have not really accepted his reconciliation plan and the Cabinet has acknowledged the necessity for the security related agencies to take further action which may impact not only the demonstrators themselves but people who work or live in the impacted area.
He said the government now has full legitimacy to take action to bring country back to normalcy and security.
Mr Abhisit said the UDD had taken more than one week to consider and respond to the roadmap and delaying their decision would affect the election date, therefore the protesters should return to their homes Wednesday.
In a related development, a Red Shirt figure Weng Tojirakarn denied the report that UDD chairman Veera Musikapong had left the country, saying that Mr Veera had become ill which was why he had not appeared on the Red Shirt stage for quite a while.
He asserted there was no serious rift among UDD leaders but accepted that they have some different ideas, which was acceptable.
Dr Weng also denied that some UDD leaders had prepared to surrender to police.
All core leaders were ready to surrender to police when Mr Suthep goes into legal action for his role in the bloody April 10 crackdown, he said. (TNA)
Mr Abhisit told reporters that if Red Shirt leaders agreed with his five-point road map to national reconciliation and the proposed general election November 14, they should stand behind their words with actions by announcing the end of the demonstration and let the protesters return home on Wednesday unconditionally.
If the UDD did not end their rally today, the prime minister said, the government has every right to take action to return Ratchaprasong to the public because the protest has caused trouble to the public long enough.
"The patience of people affected by the protest is diminishing and it is a risk for the loss of life, both inside and outside the protest area, if the rally is still going on. No one benefits from the prolonged protest," Mr Abhisit said.
The UDD leaders should say they accept or reject his planned road map, rather than continuing to defy by raising more and more conditions, the prime minister said.
The Red Shirt leaders on Tuesday said they would continue protesting at Bangkok’s prime commercial area in Ratchaprasong until Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban surrenders to police to face charges for his role in the deadly April 10 crackdown.
They said the Red Shirt supporters would not fold their tents and go home until Mr Suthep surrenders to police and entered the judicial process.
Mr Abhisit said the UDD's demand that he himself and Mr Suthep surrender to the authyorities was not the issue because he had said that a independent panel is to be set up to probe the inciden. He emphasised that Mr Suthep's appearance at the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) on Tuesday was not considered a surrender, but he was there to show government's intention and willingness to be scrutinised under legal procedures.
Mr Suthep could not surrender at any agency as there has been no arrest warrant or summons issued, he said.
The prime minister said he considered the UDD prolonging the protest as meaning that they have not really accepted his reconciliation plan and the Cabinet has acknowledged the necessity for the security related agencies to take further action which may impact not only the demonstrators themselves but people who work or live in the impacted area.
He said the government now has full legitimacy to take action to bring country back to normalcy and security.
Mr Abhisit said the UDD had taken more than one week to consider and respond to the roadmap and delaying their decision would affect the election date, therefore the protesters should return to their homes Wednesday.
In a related development, a Red Shirt figure Weng Tojirakarn denied the report that UDD chairman Veera Musikapong had left the country, saying that Mr Veera had become ill which was why he had not appeared on the Red Shirt stage for quite a while.
He asserted there was no serious rift among UDD leaders but accepted that they have some different ideas, which was acceptable.
Dr Weng also denied that some UDD leaders had prepared to surrender to police.
All core leaders were ready to surrender to police when Mr Suthep goes into legal action for his role in the bloody April 10 crackdown, he said. (TNA)
