Red shirts refuse to remove barriers to the full extent requested
Chulalongkorn Hospital director Dr Adisorn Pattaradool insisted yesterday the hospital would resume full operations only if red-shirt protesters relocate their rally and make way for traffic from the Rama VI monument to Sarasin intersection.
He dismissed red shirt leaders' claims that the hospital had agreed to resume operations and allowed the reds to spread their activities from the monument to the intersection.
"The red shirt leaders can make any claim but society knows who is believable,'' he said.
Adisorn said he had never had direct communication with red-shirt leaders but passed his demands via the police.
He said he demanded the protesters relocate out of the area close to the hospital's three high rises - Sor Kor, Por Phor Ror and Aor Phor Por Ror buildings, for the safety of patients and their relatives.
Adisorn said he had lost trust in the red shirts after they backtracked on their promise that only five would come in to check if security forces were hiding in the hospital - and hundreds poured into the hospital last Thursday.
He feared if there was a crackdown on protesters, the red shirts would again come inside the hospital and create turmoil.
The hospital's doctors and nurses gathered yesterday and sang the national anthem and read a statement dismissing any allegations that linked the hospital to politics. The statement urged the public to heed the hospital's statement to prevent any confusion.
Meanwhile, red-shirt protesters have removed bunkers, tyres, bamboo and metal barricades on Rajdamri road to allow patients access to Chulalongkorn Hospital through the emergency entrance and Sor Kor building.
However, they refused to relocate the rally site from the monument of King Rama VI to Sarasin intersection as demanded by the hospital.
During the removing of bunkers, the red shirts booed and jeered in anger that they had to bow to police demands to remove some barricades.
Leader Nattawut Saikua, said the red shirts regretted the hospital invasion incident and would show their remorse by removing barricades blocking entrances to the hospital and allowing police to check cars entering and leaving the area. The red-shirt guards would only observe the police checks.
He said the red shirts agreed to remove bunkers on Rajdamri Road because they wanted to exhibit great respect and gratitude to HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who expressed concern about the safety of hospital staff when she visited the Supreme Patriarch at the hospital.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said in his weekly television programme the government had earlier proposed security forces be stationed at Chulalongkorn Hospital as a safety measure. However the hospital's management turned down the proposal, reasoning it wanted to remain politically neutral and believed that having security forces there would make the hospital a target for attack.
He said he instructed the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation to make the protesters leave the area as required by the hospital so it could resume operations in safety.