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Red-shirt co-leader Jatuporn Prompan says latest coup warning serious enough for reds to mobilise.

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Red shirt co-leader Jatuporn Prompan has called on UDD members to mobilise again, this time to prevent a possible April coup. Photo shows red-shirts crowding the entrances to the CentralWorld shopping centre at Ratchaprasong during their 2010 protest. THITI WANNAMONTHA

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Jatuporn in mass protest call to deter coup plotters

Aekarach Sattaburuth

Jatuporn Prompan

Red shirt co-leader Jatuporn Prompan has claimed there could be a coup in April making it necessary for the red shirts to renew their mass protests to pre-empt any such attempt.

Mr Jatuporn, a list MP for the ruling Pheu Thai Party, said yesterday that members of his United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) and his associates who work with US intelligence told him there could be a coup d'etat which could bring about a change of government in April.

The UDD would move to prevent the coup. The group will stage a concert on Feb 25 and former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will speak to his supporters via a video call from abroad.

Mr Jatuporn said the gathering of red shirt supporters should discourage anyone who might be plotting a coup.

Nisit Sinthuphrai, another UDD leader, said the movement's leadership met in Nakhon Nayok two days ago and agreed that the present political situation could be the spark leading to a power revolt.

The UDD should stage anti-coup protests, he said, adding that red shirts should also press their demand for a charter rewrite.

He likened the planned Feb 25 concert to preparations for battle.

Meanwhile, Deputy Agriculture Minister Nattawut Saikuar said yesterday he has no plan to apologise to Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda over the UDD's past criticism of the statesman.

Mr Nattawut, a UDD core leader, said the organisation was launched as part of a quest for full democracy.

During political rallies, the UDD has attacked Gen Prem, believing he helped engineer the Sept 19, 2006 coup that toppled premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr Nattawut insisted he had no personal grievance against Gen Prem.

He said neither he nor Gen Prem expected an apology from one another. He said he saw no need to apologise because the issue at stake was the pursuit of democracy.

"But the people are waiting for national reconciliation to materialise, unity to be restored and democracy to be achieved," he said.

Gen Prem has accepted an invitation to preside over a party tomorrow to thank agencies involved in flood relief under the now-closed Flood Relief Operations Command (Froc).

Mr Nattawut said he will attend the party as a cabinet member, as it is an important event for the government. But he maintained he and Gen Prem had "no special agenda" to discuss during the party, and he did not want to be anyone's enemy.

co-leader – one of two or more leaders of a group
United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) – the group originally formed to demonstrate against the 2006 coup and which supported the Somchai Wongsawat government against the PAD and which led the fight against the Abhisit government. They are known for wearing red shirts แนวร่วมประชาธิปไตยต่อต้านเผด็จการแห่งชาต
mobilise – to organise a group of people to do something ระดมกำลัง
coup (d’etat) – the seizure of power in a country by a group of people, usually members of the armed forces รัฐประหาร
mass protest – a very large public gathering of people to protest against something การชุมนุมประท้วงใหญ่
deter – to make someone decide not to do something ขัดขวาง, ยับยั้ง, ป้องกัน
claim – to say that something is true although it has not been proved and other people may not believe it อ้าง
pre-empt – to prevent something from happening by taking action to stop it ยึดเอาไปก่อน
party list (proportional representation system) – a system that gives each party in an election a number of seats in relation to the number of votes its candidates receive ระบบสัดส่วน, ระบบปาร์ตี้ลิสต์
ruling – having control over a particular group, country, etc ซึ่งมีอำนาจ, ซึ่งปกครอง
associate – someone you work with ที่ร่วมมือกัน
intelligence – information collected about the secret plans of an enemy, criminal organisations, competitors, etc. ข่าวกรอง  ข้อมูลลับ
stage – to organise an event or activity จัด
via – through  ผ่าน (ช่องทาง) ในที่นี้คือ ผ่านดาวเทียม
abroad – in or to a foreign country  ในต่างประเทศ
gathering – an occasion when many people come together as a group การรวมตัว, การประชุม
discourage – to make someone feel like something should not be done ทำให้ไม่อยาก (ทำสิ่งใดสิ่งหนึ่ง)
plot – to make a secret plan with other people to do something bad แผนการ
movement – a group of people who share the same aim and work together to achieve it การเคลื่อนไหวเพื่อวัตถุประสงค์ทางการเมือง
spark –an action or event that causes something important to develop, especially trouble or violence  การก่อให้เกิด
revolt – a protest against authority, especially that of a government, often involving violence; the action of protesting against authority การปฏิวัติ, การกบฏ
press– to try in a determined way to make someone do something ผลักดัน, กระตุ้น
demand – a very firm request for something ข้อเรียกร้อง, การเรียกร้อง
charter – a constitution รัฐธรรมนูญ
liken – to compare เปรียบเทียบ
meanwhile – at the same time ในเวลาเดียวกัน
deputy – a person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง
apologise – to say you are sorry for doing something wrong or for causing a problem ขอโทษ
Privy Council – the group of appointed advisors to the King of Thailand   สภาองคมนตรีไทย
criticism – comments that show that you think something is wrong or bad การวิจารณ์
statesman – an experienced political leader that many people respect รัฐบุรุษ
core leader – one of the most active or most important leaders of a group แกนนำ
launch – to start something เริ่มต้น เริ่มทำ
quest – a long search for something, especially for some quality such as happiness การแสวงหา
rally – a large public gathering of people to support someone or to protest against something การชุมนุม
engineer – to arrange for something to happen, especially in a useful and skilful way วางแผน
topple – to force out of power; to cause to fall (also oust, unseat or overthrow)  โค่นอำนาจ
insist – to keep saying very firmly that something is true ยืนกราน ยืนยัน
grievance – a complaint about being treated in an unfair way ความคับข้องใจ
issue – a subject that people discuss or argue about ประเด็น
at stake – able to be gained or lost เสี่ยงเป็นเสี่ยงตาย
pursuit - when you try to achieve a plan, activity or situation, usually over a long period of time การพยายามให้ถึงความต้องการ
reconciliation – a new and friendly relationship with someone who you argued with or fought with การทำให้ปรองดองกันอีก,  การสมานฉันท์
materialise – to happen or become real กลายเป็นจริง
unity – a situation in which people, groups, or countries join together or agree about something ความเป็นเอกภาพ, ความเป็นอันหนึ่งอันเดียวกัน
restore – to bring back to good condition ฟื้นฟูสภาพ
invitation – a written or spoken requests asking someone to do something with you คำเชิญ
preside – to be in charge of an official meeting, ceremony or other event เป็นประธาน ในพิธี ในที่ประชุม
relief – help for improving a bad situation การบรรเทา
Flood Relief Operations Centre (Froc) – the government's centre for assisting flood victims ศูนย์ปฎิบัติการช่วยเหลือผู้ประสบอุทกภัย(ศปภ)
cabinet – the group of government ministers who make and approve government policy คณะรัฐมนตรี
maintain – to insist; to keep stating that something is true, even though other people do not agree or do not believe it ยืนยัน,  ยืนกราน
agenda – a list of things to be discussed กำหนดการ, วาระ

Related search: Jatuporn Prompan, coup warning