The Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) is seeking arrest warrants for four Commerce Ministry officials who appeared on an anti-government rally stage last month, caretaker Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong Puangraj revealed on Tuesday.
Mr Yanyong said warrants are being sought for the four civil servants after he instructed commerce permanent secretary Srirat Rastapana to send video clip evidence capturing their rally stage appearance to the CMPO.
Two of the officials work for the Department of International Trade Promotion and one each for the Department of Business Development and the Department of Trade Negotiations.
Caretaker Deputy Commerce Minister Yanyong said the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order is seeking arrest warrants for four Commerce Ministry officials who appeared on an anti-government rally stage last month.
He said the four would face charges of violating the emergency decree, which bans political gatherings of five people or more, and of rallying with protest leaders already wanted by police.
The four employees on Jan 25 joined a number of ex-ministry officials who call themselves the “we love the Commerce Ministry" group. They appeared on the People's Democratic Reform Committee rally stage at Pathumwan intersection, where demonstrators are rallying to oust the caretaker government.
“We have evidence. A video clip clearly shows who was on the stage that day,” Mr Yanyong said.
"Expressing one's political position is understandable. But it is not appropriate for civil servants to publicly declare who they side with and appearances at the protest site definitely violated an emergency decree.
“We have told CMPO to proceed with the matter. This is not bullying. I am adhering to correct protocol to protect the honour of the ministry.
He added that the ministry had set up a committee to launch a disciplinary investigation into the four officials.