PM says heavy security at Parliament meant to ensure protection

BANGKOK, March 24 (TNA) – Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said the heavy security at Thailand’s Parliament Wednesday was meant to ensure the safety of the members of parliament who were scheduled to attend the session, not aimed to obstruct or prevent the members of parliament from carrying out their duties.

He said the troop deployment and the concrete cordon and barbed wire were part of safety measures taken to prevent confrontation and lost of life, and was not intended to violate the rights of opposition MPs.

However, opposition Puea Thai Party MPs opted to boycott the session and the premier said he did not understand why they decided to be absent as it was the way to let the legislative process to run.

Mr Abhisit also denied the Puea Thai MPs claim that the government was planning a ‘silent coup’, undemocratic, saying that he did not see anything undemocratic and did not know who would seize power from whom.

The opposition MPs, who boycotted the session, had attempted to obstruct other MPs trying to enter Parliament to do their duty, whch was undemocratic, he said.

Some opposition Puea Thai MPs led by opposition chief whip Witthaya Buranasiri said they were dissatisfied with the heavy military presence, deemed inappropriate for a session of Parliament, and said it created an atmosphere like a new form of military coup détat.

They tried to block the entrance of the Parliament in protest but unsucessfly as the House of Representatives could convene and passed several bills while only three opposition MPs attend the meeting and the rest boycotted the meeting.

Mr Witthaya said he would submit a petition for impeachment of Mr Abhisit for ordering the deployment of military personnel at Parliament.

The Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) on Tuesday announced the closure of roads around Parliament as part of the security measures taken under the Internal Security Act, while a signboard was posted reading “Restricted Area, only Cabinet members, Members of Parliament, Senate will be allowed.”

Although strict security measures were in place, Cabinet members, members of parliament, and Senate vehicles could access the Parliament without disruption.

Security was beefed up in the Parliament compound for fear that the Red Shirt protesters might beseige the compound and lead to a repetition of the October 7, 2008 confrontation at which anti-riot police clashed with anti-government protesters blockading parliament. Two people were dead and hundreds were injured.

The red-clad protesters led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) have been camped at Phan Fa Bridge on Ratchadamneon Avenue for more than a week to demand the dissolution of Parliament and calling for a fresh election.

In related development, the Red Shirt leaders said the UDD would organise the censure debate outside the Parliament on Friday.

UDD core leader Natthawut Saikua said the Red Shirts will invite opposition MPs to the stage at Phan Fah Bridge for the opposition MPs to hold a censure debate against the government.

The debate agenda would involve the corruption that happened during Mr Abhisit’s administration, he said, adding that details of the debate format would be discussed and announced later.

He said that the Red Shirt protesters would remain at the main protest site at Phan Fah Bridge on Ratchadamneon Avenue and that there was no plan to move the protesters to other location.