ID :
54300
Tue, 04/07/2009 - 18:19
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/54300
The shortlink copeid
Thai PM unshaken, but driver hurt in Red Shirt attack
PATTAYA, April 7 (TNA) - Anti-government protesters on Tuesday attacked the vehicle of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and injured his driver, but the premier himself escaped unharmed.
"It's alright," Mr. Abhisit later told reporters in Bangkok. "I was not scared and I can still perform my work normally."
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban called for immediate police action, and a protest leader accepted the need to take responsibility for an attack on the prime minister, but implied the assailants were acting on their own accord.
The incident took place after Mr. Abhisit left the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel in Pattaya, the venue of this weekend’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit with its Plus Three and Plus Six dialogue partners, and headed for Bangkok after attending the weekly Cabinet meeting. He also inspected preparations at the hotel for the upcoming meeting.
A group of ‘Red Shirt’ protesters led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) followed the prime minister on motorcycles as he left the hotel. Security guards then asked him to change into one of their cars while the demonstrators smashed the back windshield with their helmets.
The back windshield broke later while driver who was a sergeant suffered a blackened right eye. Mr. Abhisit escaped unharmed.
The serious incident was the first after UDD protesters demonstrated to block the entrances of Government House in Bangkok since March 26.
The UDD supporters are loyal to convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and are participating in his plan to launch a large demonstration on Wednesday in Bangkok in a bid to drive the less than four-month-old government from office.
After learning of the incident, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban--who also attended the meeting--ordered police to find and arrest the assailants within Tuesday.
“The attack on the prime minister’s car (means it) is no longer a peaceful rally and the police must find the culprits within today. The police have the duty to preserve the law,” Mr. Suthep said.
Key UDD leader Jatuporn Prompan said his red-shirted protesters must take responsibility for their own actions and be ready to face any legal action to be taken against them. (TNA)
"It's alright," Mr. Abhisit later told reporters in Bangkok. "I was not scared and I can still perform my work normally."
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban called for immediate police action, and a protest leader accepted the need to take responsibility for an attack on the prime minister, but implied the assailants were acting on their own accord.
The incident took place after Mr. Abhisit left the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel in Pattaya, the venue of this weekend’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit with its Plus Three and Plus Six dialogue partners, and headed for Bangkok after attending the weekly Cabinet meeting. He also inspected preparations at the hotel for the upcoming meeting.
A group of ‘Red Shirt’ protesters led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) followed the prime minister on motorcycles as he left the hotel. Security guards then asked him to change into one of their cars while the demonstrators smashed the back windshield with their helmets.
The back windshield broke later while driver who was a sergeant suffered a blackened right eye. Mr. Abhisit escaped unharmed.
The serious incident was the first after UDD protesters demonstrated to block the entrances of Government House in Bangkok since March 26.
The UDD supporters are loyal to convicted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and are participating in his plan to launch a large demonstration on Wednesday in Bangkok in a bid to drive the less than four-month-old government from office.
After learning of the incident, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban--who also attended the meeting--ordered police to find and arrest the assailants within Tuesday.
“The attack on the prime minister’s car (means it) is no longer a peaceful rally and the police must find the culprits within today. The police have the duty to preserve the law,” Mr. Suthep said.
Key UDD leader Jatuporn Prompan said his red-shirted protesters must take responsibility for their own actions and be ready to face any legal action to be taken against them. (TNA)
