After paralysing the capital’s main shopping and luxury hotel district for the fourth day, UDD key leaders Nattawut Saikua, Jatuporn Prompan and Weng Tojirakarn told a news conference Tuesday evening after a tense day-long campaign against the government across the capital they will stay put at Ratchaprasong intersection and will intensify their moves Wednesday.

Mr Nattawut however refused to disclose what and how the protesters will do as part of their so-called daily intensified campaign.

The protest leader reiterated that the incidents which occurred throughout Tuesday with red-shirted protesters at the Ratchaprasong area proved that the government has prepared the combined forces of military personnel and police for dispersing the crowd, not for persuading them to leave the capital’s prime commercial area as the premier earlier said.

Insisting that the UDD protests are peaceful and unarmed, Mr Nattawut said that the Red Shirt protesters have successfully convinced the military personnel at their posts to return to their barracks and that the state’s regulations mean nothing to them.

“The prime minister’s orders are useless since the protesters have defied the ban and marched to all 11 streets and the protest leaders have not been arrested yet,” the UDD leader said. “That demonstrates that the government has lost its legitimacy to run the country.”

“The regulations are just pieces of paper that can be easily torn up anytime. Why is the premier still holding on to power?,” he asked.

Regarding possible summons for the protest leaders, Mr Nattawut shrugged off the threat, saying the Red Shirt legal team has been assigned to deal with the matter.

The UDD leader accused the government of possibly readying to order closure of the Reds’ television station, PTV (People’s Television), while another Red Shirt leader Mr Jatuporn said that Red Shirt supporters upcountry will gather at city halls nationwide Tuesday night.

Prime Minister Abhisit spoke on national television Tuesday afternoon saying that he and security-concerned officials have closely monitored the Red Shirt protests and considered the UDD rallies as violating the Constitution.

The premier said the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) Tuesday morning deployed security personnel near Ratchaprasong intersection to carry out their operation persuading the crowd to leave the area and informing them about their unlawful protest.

“The Red Shirt leaders gave distorted information to their supporters, saying that their protest is legal,” said Mr Abhisit. “They also announced that state officials will crack down on the public and used their television station to publicise incorrect information.”

The Red Shirt leaders could mobilise a large number of people who misunderstood about the incident. Security officials eventually decided to retreat to ease the tension and avoid any loss, according to the prime minister.

Mr Abhisit pledged that the government is trying to restore normalcy as soon as possible, saying he will adjust his planned visit to Vietnam to attend the Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) Summit scheduled April 7-10 and will cancel his trip next week trip to Washington, D.C. for the Nuclear Security Summit if the situation does not return to normal by Saturday.

In other related developments, Dr Chuchai Supawong, secretary-general of the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRC) revealed that four former prime ministers–Chavalit Yongchaiyuth, Banharn Silapa-archa, Chuan Leekpai and Anand Panyarachun–have agreed to attend a NHRC forum to map out a solution for the country‘s political crisis.

Dr Chuchai said that the event will be held after the Thai traditional new year or Songkran festival and that the agency planned to call a meeting among religious leaders, former prime ministers, social activists, academics and community leaders to brainstorm ideas to address social problems and injustice in social structures. (TNA)