Cops issue warning to red shirts

Cops issue warning to red shirts

Coup anniversary events to be monitored

Police are threatening tough legal action against hardcore elements of red-shirt groups if they attempt to instigate unrest on the fourth anniversary of the 2014 coup on Tuesday.

Deputy national police chief Srivara Ransibrahmanakul said yesterday he has instructed all police units in Bangkok to step up efforts to crack down on crime, particularly activities that are deemed to pose a threat to national security, from now until the end of the month.

"Let it be known to the hardcore red shirts: Don't poke your noses in or you'll be dealt with severely," said Pol Gen Srivara who is in charge of the police's security operations.

Pol Gen Srivara warned demonstrators not to defy the regime's ban on political gatherings of five or more people and the public assembly law which prohibits protests within 150 metres of a royal palace.

"The police are prepared to hunt down those who commit wrongdoings," Pol Gen Srivara said.

Korkaew Pikulthong, a key figure in the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), said yesterday it was not surprising that the red shirts were being targeted by the government.

The red shirts support democracy. It is natural that the military regime perceives the UDD as its opponent, Mr Korkaew said.

Asked if the red shirts will join the pro-election activity on Tuesday, Mr Korkaew said that each UDD member will make up their own minds about whether to join it. All have the right of free expression guaranteed by the constitution, he said.

Yesterday, pro-election activist Sirawith Seritiwat and his group handed out homemade fans with a message urging people to join them at Government House on Tuesday to reiterate their demands for an early poll.

Mr Sirawith, also known as "Ja New", led a group of New Democracy Movement activists to distribute homemade fans to people at BTS Asoke station yesterday. A message on the fans invited members of the public to join them at Government House on May 22.

The fans also carried a cartoon mocking Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha with a Pinocchio nose over the repeated delays to the scheduling of a general election, now expected next February.

Police, including plainclothes officers, tried to prevent the group from distributing the fans. However, they stood their ground and continued with the activity.

In the end, BTS security asked the group to leave station property. The activists continued to distribute the fans to people along Ratchadaphisek Road and no one was arrested.

Meanwhile, the Pheu Thai Party yesterday threatened to counter-sue the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) for laying multiple charges including illegal political assembly and computer crime charges against key party figures over Thursday's media conference when it criticised the military regime's performance in administering the nation.

The NCPO asked the Crime Suppression Division to press four charges in total after the party ignored a warning not to hold its press conference.

Key Pheu Thai members came out in their defence.

"I will wait first, to see which charges the police press. If they are unreasonable, counter legal action will be taken in the party's defence," said Chusak Sirinil, head of Pheu Thai's legal team.

He said the press conference was held because the party had a responsibility to protect the national and public interest and that it was not a political gathering.

He also denied NCPO accusations that Pheu Thai had incited insurrection and broadcast false information on Facebook.

Phumtham Wechayachai, Pheu Thai acting secretary-general, said the news conference was simply a political party's constitutional right to expression, which did not violate any orders of the NCPO.

Mr Phumtham also questioned whether Prime Minister Prayut's recent visit to Buri Ram, where he addressed a crowd of about 30,000 people who gathered to welcome him at Chang Arena football stadium was a political gathering.

"If police officers considered it [the press conference] to be illegal, they should also enforce broad compliance of the law, rather than single Pheu Thai out," Mr Phumtham said.

On Thursday, Col Burin Thongpraphai, the NCPO legal affairs chief, asked the CSD to press four charges against the Pheu Thai Party for violating orders against political gatherings of five or more people; parties from conducting political activities; sedition; and the Computer Crime Act.

Pol Gen Srivara said yesterday the CSD had accepted the NCPO's complaint against eight key Pheu Thai figures. They will be summoned to answer the charges on Tuesday.

The eight facing charges are Watana Muangsook, Chaturon Chaisang, Mr Chusak, Noppadon Pattama, Chaikasem Nitisiri, Mr Phumtham, Kittiratt Na-Ranong and Pheu Thai's acting leader Viroj Pao-in.

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