Chalerm: No to security laws

Chalerm: No to security laws

Special laws related to security will not be invoked to control the rally of the Pitak Siam group planned for Nov 24-25, Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said.

Mr Chalerm said that in a meeting of the National Security Council on Monday afternoon the issue of whether to invoke security-related laws including the Internal Security Act would not be discussed because he was not fond of violence and would not resort to using it.

Apart from the ISA, other security-related laws are Martial Law and the Executive Decree for Administration in Emergency Situations, or the emergency decree.

He said Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew, the police chief, had never actually proposed the use of the ISA but had just thought of all possible measures to cope with the situation if it turned out negatively.

There would not be a request for use of any special laws, either at today's meeting of the NSC or tomorrow's meeting of the cabinet, he said.

Mr Chalerm said a special law was not necessary because the red shirts had confirmed they would not rally near the Pitak Siam group.

He said he had also assigned Pol Gen Vorapong Chiewpreecha, the police adviser, and Pol Gen Panupong Singhara, the prime minister's deputy secretary-general, to meet Gen Boonlert Kaewprasit, the Pitak Siam group leader, to make sure the rally was peaceful.

Gen Boonlert, after a meeting with the two police generals for about one hour, said whether the turnout at the Nov 24-25 rally was low or high, there would not be a third rally of Pitak Siam because, in the aftermath of the rally, either he or the government must go.

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