PM: lifting security act to be discussed Monday

BANGKOK, Aug 30 (TNA) - The four-day government imposition of the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Bangkok’s Dusit district which remains in force until Tuesday will be discussed Monday to decide if it should be lifted for the time being, said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Speaking during his weekly television and radio address, Mr. Abhisit said discussions would be held Monday regarding whether the ISA is still needed after members of the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) had decided to postpone their mass rally today to September 5.

The so-called Red Shirts on Saturday announced postponement of their large-scale demonstration, citing the government’s imposition of the ISA as an exaggerated and unnecessary response.

Reiterating that the ISA was aimed at preventing violence which could caused by the UDD during the just postponed rally, Mr. Abhisit said it was found out that the security act had not affected people’s rights.

Negotiations are being held with UDD leaders on their plan to rally on September 5, he said, adding that he personally had no objection to a political gathering but it must be held under the legal framework as nobody wanted to see a bloodshed as occurred with the bloody demonstration in April.

Asked whether the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in October could be affected as the UDD plans to demonstrate regularly, Mr. Abhisit said the summit would be organised in Hua Hin resort and sound security measures could be provided.

Mr. Abhisit said his government had negotiated with the UDD on ending the unrest and that a joint session of Parliament would be held Monday in which the outcome of a study on amending the Constitution would be reported.

Amending some articles in the charter could proceed, he said. (TNA)