The acting government spokesman and a leader of the red shirts promised on Thursday night their sides would not be the first to resort to violence in the street protests beginning on Friday.
Panitan Wattanayagorn, who is also deputy secretary general to the prime minister, said the government would follow the Administrative Court ruling in October 2008 that defines a "peaceful protest" under the Constitution and gives a guideline about how the authorities should deal with protesters.
"The government won't use violence. That goes against the law," he said during the TV Thai programme "Tob Jote" (Answering the Questions).
Jaran Ditthapichai, a leader of the Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship, said the red shirts would "lose the battle" if they resorted to violence. He added that given the history of governments dealing with protesters, he was convinced it was the authorities who would start using force.
Jaran, formerly a member of the National Human Rights Commission, said that the red shirt protesters would not be armed and they would not try to seize Government House, airports or any state agency.
The Nation
