National police chief Chaktip Chaijinda will be invited to testify in front of a House standing committee after activists behind a planned anti-government run were allegedly barred from gathering at a Bangkok hotel to announce preparations for the event.
The House committee on law, justice and human rights yesterday resolved to invite Pol Gen Chakthip, along with other senior police officers associated with the ban, to appear after they received a complaint from one of the organisers, Tanawat Wongchai, said House committee spokesman Rangsiman Rome.
Mr Tanawat, former president of Chulalongkorn University Student Council, was the only organiser who turned up at the House committee to speak about the ban.
"The committee had invited other people — including representatives from the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand — to appear yesterday, but they were busy," said Mr Rangsiman.
The run, dubbed Wing Lai Lung, or "Run to Oust the Uncle", is being organised by the Student Union of Thailand to drum up public support for the ouster of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
The event, which has also been referred to as "Run Against the Dictator", will be held on Jan 12 in central Bangkok.
Mr Tanawat had previously criticised Thailand's public gathering law, saying it is a tool to curb free speech and civil rights, before adding that such a law would be rendered useless if large numbers of people take to the streets.
Leader of the opposition Seri Ruam Thai Party and head of the House committee on corruption, Pol Gen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves, on Wednesday confirmed that he will not be taking part in the event.
The outspoken committee chief said that he did not think the run will trigger mass street protests, calling it "only physical exercise".
He said the government should keep an open mind about resistance movements to prevent the situation from getting out of hand.