'Anti-government movement wants to sabotage elections'
Enthusiastic reception for Prime Minister Yingluck. Yesterday she boarded the train from Surin to Si Sa Ket to inspect the refurbished section of track.
The battle between the anti-government movement and the authorities seems to be hardening. The Department of Special Investigation (DSI, the Thai FBI) will freeze the bank accounts of the protest leaders. The protest movement is said to be planning to sabotage the registration of candidates for the elections.
The DSI has taken over the prosecution of the protest leaders from the municipal police. It concerns seventeen leaders. An arrest warrant has been issued against action leader Suthep Thaugsuban. Not against the others, because the court previously deemed this unnecessary because the tension would have been reduced.
The DSI respects this decision, but will order the leaders to turn themselves in. They are charged with conspiracy to induce the population to disrupt public order and to take action against the government.
Action leader Suthep Thaugsuban has planned a mass rally for Sunday. Last night, he said the rally will focus on key areas of Bangkok, such as the Democracy Monument, Victory Monument and Pathumwan and Ratchaprasong intersections. The supply routes are via the Rama IV road, Sukhumvit road and Phetchaburi road. In total, the action area covers an area of 577 square kilometers and can accommodate 1,73 to 2,3 million demonstrators.
Action leader Witthaya Kaewparadai declined to disclose details of Sunday's marches yesterday, but Bangkok Post writes on the authority of a source that the People's Democratic Reform Committee aims to sabotage the registration of candidates for the elections. That registration will take place on Monday at the Thai-Japan stadium. The source says that location will be under siege, preventing the candidates from entering. The Royal Thai Police headquarters would also be under siege, making security measures more difficult.
The Electoral Council has announced that everything will be done to allow the registration to proceed. A briefing of representatives of 54 parties took place yesterday. They said they were concerned about safety on Monday. With the exception of opposition party Democrats, they confirmed that they are taking part in the elections; the Democrats will decide on that on Saturday. Today the Electoral Council will announce which measures will be taken against the protests.
Red shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan thinks that Suthep is indeed planning to sabotage the registration. But that attempt will fail, he says, because the registration can also be done by a party leader. The Minister of Justice warns the demonstrators of legal consequences.
(Source: Bangkok Post, Dec. 19, 2013)
Photo homepage: Demonstration yesterday of the union of Thai Airways International.