Deputy PM Suthep: Thaksin arrest warrant not political harassment

BANGKOK, May 26 (TNA) – Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said the arrest warrant issued for ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra was not political harassment but it was thoroughly considered and based on the law.

Mr Suthep said he was unworried that the arrest warrant would lead to possible escalating movement (of Thaksin’s supporters) but the government concerns more about the national security.

He conceded that he was worried about the underground movement.

The Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) will consider again on Friday whether or not to extend a curfew in the capital and 23 provinces. Curfew will be lifted in areas where the situation returns to normal, Mr Suthep said.

He added that the police must evaluate their own operations to guard key locations in the provinces after the city halls in some provinces were torched by anti-government Red Shirt supporters.

The Interior Ministry transferred the governors of four provinces in the Northeast where city halls were set ablaze to inactive post.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul on Wednesday admitted that some provinces are terrorism-prone areas and must be under close surveillance as it is reported that groups of suspected terrorists have been infiltrating those zones.

Initial reports indicated that the terrorist groups have mapped plans to incite unrest in some violence-prone zones.

Mr Chavarat said that governors must tighten security measures and promote reconciliation among locals through public relations campaigns.

Governors in four red-active provinces of Mukdaharn, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani and Udon Thani on Tuesday were transferred to inactive posts after Red Shirts set fire to provincial halls on May 19.

The minister believed that the transfer order will help abate conflicts between local protesters and authorities, saying the replacements will better the situation.

However, Mr Chavarat explained that if the new governors cannot work efficiently in preventing government offices from being attacked, they may be punished.

The ministry gives a three- to four-month timeframe for newly-appointed governors to work before evaluating the governors’ performance in the four northeastern provinces.

Following the recent arson at the provincial halls, he said the authorities will not ignore the case and investigation continues based on evidence at the crime scenes. (TNA)