Authorities on lookout for hardliners; emergency law not to be lifted just yet
The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) will seek arrest warrants for 18 more people involved in the recent political clashes, including a man suspected of shooting dead an Army colonel who was leading the operations on April 10.
DSI director-general Tharit Pengdit said that though arrest warrants have already been issued for many red-shirt leaders and hardliners, there are still more provincial leaders of the movement and members of its armed group in Bangkok who are wanted by the authorities.
A DSI source said these 18 people would be the fourth batch of red-shirt figures facing arrest. The latest group includes a man suspected of killing Colonel Romklao Thuwatham, who was leading a crowd-dispersal operation at Bangkok's Khok Wua intersection on April 10, the source said.
Meanwhile, Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner Maj Gen Sumet Ruangsawat, who is leading a police investigation team looking into the April 10 incident, said yesterday that the investigators had identified all the suspects. However, he declined to disclose further details for fear the probe would be affected.
Sumet said on Monday, his team would provide information to the DSI about their findings. He said that once it was armed with sufficient evidence, the DSI would seek arrest warrants for all the armed men in black who took part in the April 10 riots.
He added that police were also studying security-camera footage showing people trying to set fire to CentralWorld, in order to determine the identities.
In a related development, the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation yesterday resolved to continue with the state of emergency in Bangkok and 23 other provinces.
Metropolitan Police spokesman Maj-General Piya Uthayo told a press conference that the emergency decree was required to facilitate the authorities' operation in areas where the red-shirt movement remained active.
He said community radio stations in certain areas were still spreading distorted facts in a bid to incite hatred. The spokesman said the state of emergency should not affect the everyday life of the general public.
The spokesman said National Police chief General Patheep Tanprasert would hold a press conference on Monday to present details of arrests and the condition of protest leaders being detained at six different locations.
Meanwhile, polling stations set up for tomorrow's district councillors' election in 14 of Bangkok's districts will be protected by a joint force of soldiers and police, Piya said.
In a related development, red-shirt leaders Natthawut Saikua and Jatuporn Promphan showed up at the Criminal Court yesterday to testify in a trial under which they, as well as fugitive red-shirt leader Jakrapob Penkair, are being accused of telephone tapping or disclosing a message obtained through tapping.
In June 2007, during a red-shirt rally at Sanam Luang, the three defendants played an audio recording of a telephone conversation between former PM's Office permanent secretary Peerapan Prempooti and former Supreme Court secretary Virat Chinwinitkul.
The court has suspended the trial against Jakrapob, who has been at large since last April.
Natthawut, who is being detained at a Border Patrol Police camp in Phetchaburi, was brought to Bangkok in a helicopter for his hearing in court.
The court has granted Natthawut and Jatuporn's request that the trial be conducted in their absence, because they may not be able to attend all hearings. However, they have promised to show up at court unless they were busy elsewhere.