Red Shirts pledge not to prolong Sunday rally

BANGKOK, Sept 16 – The anti-government Red Shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) will stage a brief rally for only two hours on Sunday and will not prolong their campaign, according to a senior police officer who negotiated with a leading Red activist ahead of Sunday’s activities.

Pol Maj-Gen Vichai Sangprapai, commander of Metropolitan Police Division 1,
who also heads a police negotiation team, said he had talked with Sombat
Boonngamanong, a leading activist of the Red Sunday group on the planned
protest at Ratchaprasong intersection this Sunday.

He said he made it clear to the group that the demonstration must comply with the law. He said he explained in detail about the laws concerning political demonstrations.

Gen Vichai warned the Red activists that if any protesters violate the law, police will take legal action against them.

The senior police officer said Mr Sombat had shown a positive response to
his explanation, saying the Red Shirt activities will start at 5pm and end at 7pm. Gen Vichai expressed confidence that the rally would be held in an orderly manner.

The Red Shirt activities on Sunday are meant to mark the fourth anniversary of the September 19 coup which toppled prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has lived abroad in self-exile after a court sentenced him two years prison, in absentia, for violating conflict of interest laws. (MCOT online news)