Move to ban rallies in Dusit area

Suthep

Security agencies agreed at a meeting yesterday evening to ban any political gathering in Bangkok's Dusit district when the area comes under the Internal Security Act on Friday.

A spokesman for the Internal Security Operations Command, Maj General Dittaporn Sassamit said the proposed ban would be recommended to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva tomorrow.

Representatives from relevant security agencies, including the police, the military and Isoc gathered at Army headquarters for a meeting chaired by Deputy Premier Suthep Thaugsuban.

The decision came after the red shirts said yesterday their mass political rally on Sunday would go ahead as planned, in defiance of stringent measures imposed by the government under the security law.

Veera Musigapong, a leader of the red shirts, said the protesters would gather at the Royal Plaza on Sunday afternoon and move to Government House in the evening. A stage would be set up outside the compound for rally leaders to address participants, he said.

"It will be a peaceful and unarmed gathering," Veera said, adding that the rally would end by midnight on Sunday.

He claimed the government exceeded its powers and acted against the Constitution by imposing the Internal Security Act in Bangkok's Dusit district.

But Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva countered that claim, saying imposition of the law from Saturday to Tuesday was aimed at ensuring the peace.

"This law does not prohibit demonstrations as long as they are peaceful. There is concern that a third party may be involved," the prime minister said.

"The incident in April caused much damage to the country and nobody wants to see it happen again," he added, referring to violent riots by red shirts in Bangkok.

Nattawut Saikua, spokesman for the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship, a faction of the red shirts, accused the government of spreading rumours by saying the security law was imposed to pre-empt possible violence.

"I insist that this upcoming rally will not be violent," he said.

Jatuporn Phrompan, an MP from the opposition Pheu Thai Party who is a leader of the red shirts, questioned the PM's sincerity in arguing that the law was aimed at keeping the protest peaceful and preventing interference by a third party.

Meanwhile, Udon Thani radio host Kwanchai Sarakham said yesterday fugitive former PM Thaksin Shinawatra voiced concern for the safety of villagers going to the rally.

Kwanchai, a leader of the red shirts, said he spoke on the phone to Thaksin, who agreed Sunday's rally would be "wasteful".

He said Thaksin said he had raised his concern with Veera, one of the organisers. Thaksin's remarks hinted at an objection to holding the rally because he was grateful for the support shown through the pardon petition, and saw additional action as unnecessary now.

"I told the boss I didn't want to join the rally and he said he agreed. He said he told our people in Bangkok not to bring supporters to rally in Bangkok because there would be no use. The cost of arranging transport is more than Bt20,000 for each bus and it will be over Bt200,000 for 10 buses. It will be a waste of money. This was agreed by Thaksin."