Security has been tightened to shield the venue hosting the 2022 Apec summit from any disruption by protesters as international delegates start to arrive in Bangkok, national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas said on Wednesday.
Overall, the security operation has been running smoothly and intelligence authorities are continuing to monitor the situation in Bangkok and its neighbouring provinces, said Pol Gen Damrongsak.
He made the remarks after chairing a meeting of the government's Apec security command, which comprises over 30 security organisations, as assigned by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.
While the roads leading to and around the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC), the meeting venue, have been declared off-limits to cars during the hours of 6pm to 6am from Wednesday until Saturday, public gatherings are also prohibited at certain designated areas including anywhere within a 50-metre radius of Government House, said Pol Gen Damrongsak.
In another development, Gen Prawit has instructed the Internal Security Operations Command's (Isoc) Region 4 Forward Command to widen its investigation into two bombings carried out on Tuesday night, one in Yaring district and the other in Muang district of Yala, said Gen Kongcheep Tantravanich, a spokesman for Gen Prawit.
Gen Kongcheep said these violent incidents have jeopardised Thailand's reputation while it is trying to win international confidence in its ability to maintain peace.
The public is therefore being urged to watch out for signs of unrest or anything out of the ordinary, and report them to security authorities by calling 191 or 1599, he said.
Meanwhile, Pol Maj Gen Archayon Kraithong, the Royal Thai Police spokesman, confirmed a media report on Wednesday that three Ramkhamhaeng University students had been detained for questioning in connection with a plot to stir up unrest at the Apec venue.
Police secured enough information to believe the three students had been planning a political incident there, he said.
Quoted in the media report about them being held in police custody was the Muslim Students Federation of Thailand, which claimed they were detained in their apartments.
