1,000 riot control soldiers on stanby 

WASSANA NANUAM

Army commander Gen Anupong Paojinda has put about 1,000 soldiers trained in riot control on standby to back up police if the People's Alliance for Democracy demonstration gets out of control.

According to a source, Gen Anupong on Monday ordered First Army commander Lt-Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha to keep ready nine companies comprising just over 1,000 soldiers from the 1st Division of The King's Guard in Bangkok.

The nine companies are under the control of Maj-Gen Paiboon Khumchaya, commander of the 1st division. The force is ready to go into action if the police are unable to handle the mobs of people and the government announces a state of emergency.

Lt-Gen Prayuth has ordered the soldiers not to carry guns. They will only be given equipment normally used in riot control. He issued orders for the soldiers not to use force that could injure people and were told only to maintain order and neutrality, the source said.

The nine companies were put on standby before PAD supporters entered Government House on Tuesday. They were kept in reserve throughout the day as the situation was not considered critical.

The source said Lt-Gen Prayuth had set up an outpost of his First Army at the 1st Infantry Regiment where his and Gen Anupong's residences are located.

Select troops are guarding both residences to prevent any group of soldiers from seizing either of the two key military figures.

The source said reports were circulating that commanders of some forces had been bribed to stage a coup to tear up the 2007 constitution and revive the 1997 charter.

The source said it was possible the government would declare a state of emergency as police might not be able to contain the mobs. Bloody clashes would end the legitimacy of the government.

But a state of emergency would mean soldiers being deployed on the streets, leading to the possibility of another coup.
``It depends on Prime Minister Samak whether he dares to make the announcement. It would put him at risk as it's uncertain whether he could control all of the military if security powers are transferred to the armed forces,'' the source said.