Cabinet reviewing Security Act on Tuesday expiration

BANGKOK, Aug 31 (TNA) – Cabinet is being asked Tuesday if the Internal Security Act (ISA) is really needed to maintain law and order as the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) called off its demonstration Sunday, postponing it to Saturday,  Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said.

As director of the newly-established Law and Order Maintenance Operation Centre, Mr Suthep told reporters after Monday’s meeting that it resolved to ask that Cabinet members be on call to attend an emergency session if intelligence indicates UDD plans to incite chaos or to protest violently on Saturday.

The centre was set up to maintain law and order in response to the UDD’s abortive rally on the past weekend.

If case of any rally date or venue that may impact security, he said, the government could promptly announce the renewed implementation of the Internal Security Act (ISA).

Cabinet last week imposed it for four days from last Friday in the capital’s Dusit district where Red Shirt protesters planned to demonstrate.

The ISA’s tough security measures in Dusit district expire Tuesday, he affirmed, but the government will not extend the Act. Once it expires, combined military and police units will withdraw from Government House.

Mr Suthep said that the Cabinet planned no special session Friday, but the government will wait for intelligence before preparing for a Saturday demonstration.

As for the UDD announcement of a mass rally on the third anniversary of the coup d’etat which toppled then-premier Thaksin Shinawatra on September 19, the deputy prime minister said it was unclear whether the demonstration would take place then.

He said, as a precaution, that the government would prepare measures to respond to any untoward incident and that the ISA is necessary to maintain law and order. (TNA)