Red-shirt rally postponed, ISA still to be enforced
- Published: 25/11/2009 at 04:21 PM
- Online news: Local News
The government will not immediately abandon its plan to enforce the Internal Security Act throughout Bangkok, even though the red-shirts have postponed their anti-government rally this weekend, Deputy Prime Minister overseeing security affairs Suthep Thaugsuban said on Wednesday.
Veera Musikhapong, one of the key members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), said the core leaders agreed on Wednesday to the postponement of the mass protests planned from Nov 28 to Dec 2. They had agreed it would not be appropriate to hold demonstrations at this time, with the approaching celebration of His Majesty the King's 82nd birthday on Dec 5.
Mr Suthep was sceptical. "The government has to be prepared, because the situation is not yet certain. The plan to enforce the Internal Security Act is still on," he said after a meeting with top officials from the Internal Security Operations Command and other security agencies at Government House in the afternoon.
He said the government needed to be absolutely certain there would not be any violence before calling off the security plan.
The cabinet on Tuesday approved the use of the Internal Security Act (ISA) across the capital to cope with the red-shirts' plan to to split into groups and protest separately at many different locations. Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra later advised his supporters to reconsider their rally plans, prompting the UDD leadership UDD agree on an indefinite postponement.
Mr Suthep also advised Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva not to attend the annual Thai Chamber of Commerce meeting in Chiang Mai this Sunday for his own safety.
The Rak Chiang Mai 51 red-shirt group plans a major anti-government protest in the northern province this weekend to coincide with the prime minister's visit. There has also been a threat to his life, with a dire prediction he would die in a bomb blast.
"Prime Minister Abhisit should avoid going to Chiang Mai as the red-shirts there have a history of resorting to violence during rallies," Mr Suthep said.
Puea Thai MP for Chiang Mai Surapong Towichakchaikul also called on Mr Abhisit to cancel his visit Chiang Mai and to instead give his speech to the annual meeting of the Thai Chambers of Commerce by via video conferencing.
“Mr Abhisit should listen to his cabinet ministers who recommended that he cancel the Chiang Mai trip for his own safety,” the opposition MP said.
The prime minister is on a three-day official visit to Qatar and will return to Bangkok on Thursday.
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- Writer: Online Reporters
- Position: Online Reporters
