The Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) has condemned security guards of the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) for the assault on a man who carried a red shirt card, and vowed to arrest PDRC leaders who break the law.
Tarit Pengdith, a CMPO member and Department of Special Investigation (DSI) director-general, said on Thursday that the centre was saddened by the incident where Yuem Nillar, 33, a security guard with a private company in Bangkok, was allegedly taken from Lumpini Park and detained at an anti-government protest site for five days before he was tied up, beaten and thrown into the Bang Pakong River. Mr Yuem survived but had numerous bruises on his face and body. Doctors found a lung was lacerated from the impact of a solid object.
Mr Tarit said the guards were cruel and inhumane for attacking an innocent civilian just because he carried a red-shirt card and that they appeared not to be afraid of the law.
He said PDRC leaders had repeatedly said their protests were peaceful and without weapons, but this was not the first attack carried out by the guards. The PDRC's leaders should "stop ordering their guards to resort to violent measures on a daily basis".
Police arrested two PDRC guards on Wednesday for carrying firearms. Their names were Bandit Sakulbongkarn and Ekachai Polpakdi, he said.
Mr Tarit said the CMPO was not so worried about the Constitution Court's order on Wednesday that the general public could join the rallies, as authorities can take criminal action against PDRC leaders who violate the law. Previously, the charter court had ruled that the protests carried out by the PDRC were lawful as long as they were peaceful and without weapons.