Caretaker Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul thanks anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban for deciding to dismantle most of the rally sites in Bangkok, and tells him that he will never triumph over the government.
People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) secretary-general Suthep announced on Friday night that the all of the rally stages will be dismantled and blocked roads cleared, and all activities will then be moved to Lumpini Park next week.
Surapong: Suthep can never win
Mr Surapong, an adviser to the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO), said before attending a security meeting on Saturday that he wanted to thank Mr Suthep for returning traffic lanes and allowing businesses to resume normal operations.
"If possible, I would like Mr Suthep to end the rallies entirely because the protest had continually been raised to higher levels but it had not succeeded.
"Mr Suthep always changed the conditions and he still couldn't defeat the government. If he continues fighting, he would do more harm to himself," Mr Surapong said.
The PDRC's decision to end the Bangkok Shutdown campaign was likely due to the declining number of protesters joining its rallies. Fewer people decided to join the PDRC rallies because of Mr Suthep's "undemocratic" demands, he said.
He said the caretaker government will see if the emergency decree should be revoked in the capital. The enforcement of the decree will end of March 22.
Although all PDRC's activities will be moved to Lumpini Park, Mr Suthep announced that the protesters will continue to close down government offices and businesses of the Shinawatra family, he added.