Troops to be withdrawn from Parliament

BANGKOK, March 24 (TNA) – Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban on Thursday pledged he would order the withdrawal of security personnel deployed at and around Parliament as part of heavy security measures Thursday afternoon after the House session ends, according
to government chief whip Witthaya Kaewparadai.

Mr Suthep’s decision followed an outcry by many senators and members of parliament over the deployment of troop and setup of concrete and barbed wire cordons around the Parliament, which the opposition said created an atmosphere rather like a new form of military coup.

Opposition MPs boycotted Thursday’s House session, claiming that the heightened security measures obstructed MPs ability to enter Parliament to do their duty.

Government chief whip Witthaya said after the whips’ meeting that Mr Suthep was invited to discuss the stringent measures and was asked by government members of parliament to ease some of the measures.

Mr Witthaya said the deputy premier agreed to withdraw police and military from the parliament compound in the afternoon after the House session ends.

“For next week’s session, the whip will coordinate with the government and will evaluate the situation,” Mr Witthaya explained.

The deputy premier asserted Thursday morning that the heavy security measures at Parliament is aimed at preventing any reoccurrence of violence and allow the MPs to enter and leave the compound safely without any obstruction by protesters.

The red-clad protesters led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) have been camped at Phan Fa Bridge on Ratchadamneon Avenue, not far from Parliament, for almost two weeks demanding the dissolution of Parliament and calling for a fresh election.

Mr Suthep added that the military deployment at the parliament will also prevent any possible blockade by the protesters and the lawmakers will be allowed to enter Parliament’s facilities as usual, but persons who are suspected as being likely to incite chaos will be barred from entering the area.

The deputy prime minister said that he will review the measures when the situation improves, asserting that the operation will not last long.

“I have overseen the situation and given instructions as you (the public) have heard the Red Shirt leaders announced to follow the prime minister wherever he goes and they did it several times,” said Mr Suthep.”What I have done is to issue preventive measures. When the measures are efficiently implemented, we will consider how to ease them.”

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

The measures were boosted in fear that the Red Shirt protesters might lay siege to 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 killed and hundreds were
injured.

Meanwhile, Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondej and a number of senators jointly hold a news conference Thursday blaming the government for not informing them about implementing major security measures at and around the parliament.

The Senate Speaker said the Senate was not informed by the government and most of senators have been affected by the measures.

“The Senate agreed that the government should inform us in advance because the Senate is an independent legislative body,” said Mr Prasopsuk,

“So we want to say that any such security measures to be taken should be informed to the Senate in advance,” he said. (TNA)