• 
• 

Published on November 27, 2007

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) did a U-turn yesterday by allowing members of "House No 111" to use Lan Khon Muang, a plaza in front of the city hall, for a rally on Friday.

"The BMA did not want the 111 banned members to use the denial as a political weapon to attack the city administration," city spokesman Thanom Onketphol explained.

He said city administrators ruled against an application by the group to use Lumpini Park last week because the area was not available.

Yesterday morning the BMA again ruled out use of Lan Khon Muang for political purposes, saying the area was reserved for recreational activities for Bangkok residents.

"House No 111" stands for the 111 party executives of the former Thai Rak Thai Party who were banned from politics for five years in May. The BMA advised them to petition the Election Commission (EC) to use one of 12 public places designated for rallies.

However, the BMA later said the group could use the area provided they kept noise down.

Thanom said: "The area is close to Wat Suthas and it is a public park so the group would have to use a low-power sound system and only half the area," he said.

The 111 banned executives had applied for a city permit to rally at Lan Khon Muang to air their political views on a free and fair election.

"We want to outline our views of the situation following the September 19 coup and some of the issues that have not been touched on by political parties for fear of being ejected from the race by the Election Commission," group spokesman Thosaporn Serirak said yesterday.

The rally will feature Chaturon Chaisang as a key speaker and his speech would be about political freedom, he said, ruling out speculation the 111 would demand the EC cancel its ruling to prohibit them from campaign activities.

"The rally will have nothing to do with campaigning," he said.

He had warned the 111 would move the rally to Democracy Monument if Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin refused to give them a permit.

The Nation