Puea Thai member against rally

UDD PROTEST 'INAPPROPRIATE' AS KING'S BIRTHDAY APPROACHES

Panlop Pinmanee has voiced opposition to a planned United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship rally, saying the timing is inappropriate.

Gen Panlop, a member of the Puea Thai Party, said yesterday he disagreed with the UDD plan to call a mass rally to oust the government from next Saturday until early next month. The period was close to His Majesty the King's birthday on Dec 5 when Thais wanted to live in peace while they are celebrating the important day, he said.

"I warned the UDD against holding a rally during the Songkran festival. Thais do not care about politics during such a period. They just want to either go home or travel to enjoy the long holiday," he said.

"Again I warn their leaders that this period [His Majesty's birthday] is really inappropriate." 1st Army commander Khanit Saphithak said the military needed to use the Royal Plaza area, where the UDD rally is expected to take place, for a procession rehearsal from Dec 1 to Dec 3. After that there will be an oath of allegiance ceremony.

"We need to clear up the area for security reasons. We might need to talk to the red shirt people about how long they want to use the area for their rally," said Lt Gen Khanit.

Meanwhile, after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was allegedly threatened with death on community radio programmes in Chiang Mai supportive of Thaksin Shinawatra ahead of his visit to the northern province next Sunday, the two red shirt radio hosts have denied the existence of an assassination plot. Phetchawat Wattanapongsirikul, a broadcaster for the Sapha Kafae programme, who was accused along with his unidentified co-host of encouraging the audience to protest violently against Mr Abhisit and talked about an assassination attempt said he had no intention of carrying out a bomb attack.

He said he would travel abroad next Sunday as he did not want to be involved in any protest against Mr Abhisit.

His broadcasting colleague Kanyapak Maneejak said Mr Phetchawat's talk about the assassination attempt was only an incitement. There was no real assassination plot. The two are members of the red shirt Love Chiang Mai 51 group.