PM receives reports on planned sabotage, but hasn’t invoked security law

BANGKOK, March 6 (TNA) — With only eight days before anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protesters planned large-scale demonstration in the capital, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Saturday that he had received information on possible acts of sabotage aimed at creating unrest in the country but until Saturday he still did not invoke Thailand’s Internal Security Act (ISA).

Urging the Red Shirt UDD supporters to conduct their planned Bangkok rally from March 14 onward in a peaceful manner, Mr Abhisit said the protesters should refrain from bringing vehicles from upcountry to block traffic in the capital during the rally, aimed at ousting his administration.

The UDD leadership has said they would bring pickup trucks to the rally and threatened to seize any tow trucks authorities would use in removing their vehicles from the streets.

Touching on threats made by the top UDD leaders that their movement would try to oust the government within three days, Mr Abhisit said it is usual for the movement’s leaders to arouse the protesters’ morale, but his government has “no plan to invoke the ISA unless it’s necessary”.

He admitted that a government committee monitoring the protesters’ movements had received an information indicating that possible acts of sabotage aimed at creating chaos in the country are looming.

Mr Abhisit said security personnel at all checkpoints have been ordered to inspect vehicles for any weapons being taken to the rally site to prevent acts of violence.

He said volunteers from the Interior Ministry would be dispatched during the demonstration while police and other security-focused officials were ordered to exercise extreme restraints from intimidation which would be created by the protesters.

Key UDD leaders have threatened  that activists nationwide will begin moving to Bangkok on Friday (March 12) and will gather at Sanam Luang on Sunday morning March 14. They have boasted that one million protesters would join the protest. (TNA)