Red shirts not condone Jakrapob splinter group

Jatuporn confirmed the red shirts had severed ties with the Jakrapob-led splinter group.

"We want democracy under the King as head of state, therefore our activities are limited to attack Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda or lower figures to prevent an escalating fight trangressing the constitutional monarchy," he said.

Jatuporn said Jakrapob's ally Surachai Danwattananusorn was an ex-communist prone for violent struggle.

Jakrapob and Surachai have formed the splinter group called Red Siam detaching themselves from the mainstream red-shirt movement.

On Tuesday, Jakrapob published his article reprimanding red-shirt co-leaders for misleading the movement to harbour a false hope on the pardon petition.

He said the co-leaders were acting as if they did not have a true understanding about their fight against "Ammat" (bureaucratic polity) which entails more important figures than just Prem.

Jaturporn countered the red shirts had drawn the line in their fight, hinting the Jakrapob splinter group wanted to deviate from the constitutional monarchy.

Jakrapob had no justification to promote his cause by attacking former fellow activists, he said.

If Jakrapob wanted to leave the red shirts, he was free to do so but he should not have tried to burn down his former home, he said.

He voiced suspicion that certain elements within the Pheu Thai Party had secretary supported Jakrapob in a two-faced stragtegy to reap benefits from whichever faction emerged a winner.

He reminded Jakrapob that red-shirt co-leaders were the only people remained by his side when he faced the lese majeste charge.

He also revealed that Jakrapob had abandoned the red shirts and fled to an undisclosed location even before the state of emergency during the Songkran mayhem.

"Individuals like Jakrapob and Surachai are living in the past without realising that the communist ideology is no longer applicable to the modern world," he said.

Reacting to Jatuporn's remarks, Surachai said the red shirts and the splinter group shared the same goal inspite of having differences about tactical means.

The Red Siam and the red shirts led by three co-leaders will have to prove which side is more determined to win and which will fall along the way, he said.