The government's Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situation yesterday threatened to use force with the red-shirt protesters if they still refused to disperse despite the prime minister's proposal for political reconciliation.
Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd, the CRES spokesman, said that yesterday's meeting of the centre agreed it still has the duty to complete its task.
"The red shirts don't have much choice left and they have no right to bargain with us. The prime minister's proposal does not mean there will be no dispersal of the protest," Sansern said.
"The government is doing its work to solve the problems and the CRES has its responsibility to deal with an illegal protest in which terrorists are hiding," he added.
The spokesman said the CRES has set up more checkpoints around the protest site at the Rajprasong shopping area and its security forces were closing in. He said the checkpoints were aimed at preventing perpetrators from smuggling weapons out of the protest site.
"Between 10 and 20 people have been arrested each day for carrying weapons," he added.
When asked if there would be a dispersal operation soon, Sansern said there would be no such action in the next three to four days as this is a period for celebration of His Majesty the King's coronation. "We will discuss it after that," he said.
Meanwhile, red-shirt leader Nattawut Saikua yesterday regarded the CRES spokesman's remark as a threat, which he said would not benefit the reconciliation efforts.
"I want the government to shut Colonel Sansern's mouth. He seems to be unaware the talk is beginning and the world is welcoming it," Nattawut said.
"The military does not know what should be done. Is this what the government wants, negotiating while killing people?" he added.
Weng Tojirakarn, another red shirt leader, said the CRES appeared to be disputing the prime minister's words and acting as if it was an "independent state". "Between them, who really has the final say?" he said.