Thai political situation expected to improve after release of red shirt leaders

BANGKOK, Feb 23 (TNA) - Thai Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban believes the political situation should ease, with the Criminal Court granting bail to red shirt protest leaders.

Suthep said the release was the decision of the court and the government had not influenced it. The government did not oppose the temporary release and Deputy Prime Minister Sanan Kachornprasart, Kanit na Nakhon, head of the Truth for Reconciliation Commission, and a police commander had testified for the red shirt leaders.

Suthep said if the protest leaders wanted to be the government, they would have to make way for a general election.

Asked about the fate of other red shirt protesters detained in other provinces, the deputy prime minister said this depended on local courts. He denied the government treated red shirt and yellow shirt protesters differently.

Parliament President Chai Chidchob said the temporary release of the seven red shirt leaders was good for all parties to express their opinions so they could relieve their uneasiness.

Red shirt leaders have vowed to return to their protest and the House Speaker said they had the constitutional right to express their opinions on the streets, but they had to observe rules.

The protest leaders have been detained since May 2010, after a crackdown on their protests which led to the deaths of 91 people. (TNA)