Red Shirts to move to army unit if Abhisit doesn’t dissolve House

BANGKOK, March 14 (TNA) – Unsuccessful so far in pressuring the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve Thailand’s Lower House and call fresh elections, the red-clad anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship  (UDD) core leaders on Sunday announced that some protesters will march on the government’s temporary safe house at a key army base to press their demand where the government is seated.

The prime minister and his Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban moved to the 11th Infantry Regiment headquarters where the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) is dealing with the Red Shirt rally situation.

Natthawut Saikua, a key UDD leader, said the Red Shirts are satisfied with Sunday’s demonstration which was expected to draw as many as 300,000 during the night when ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra addresses the crowd via a video link from abroad.

Mr Natthawut said the UDD leaders resolved that some demonstrators will march to the 11th Infantry Regiment if the government rejects their demand to dissolve the parliament by their deadline of Monday noon. Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda and other important figures are also staying at the army base.

The Red Shirts accused former prime minister Prem as being behind the 2006 coup which ousted then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr Natthawut said the red-clad demonstrators will begin marching at 9am and expect to reach their destination before noon. He promised the march will avoid causing inconvenience to Bangkok commuters and hoped that the UDD will not face any resistance from Bangkokians.

Among tens of thousands of protesters, many are rural poor from provinces in the North and Northeast. They accused the Abhisit Vejjajiva administration of double standards towards Mr Thaksin and his allies.

In response to the UDD announcement, Mr Suthep and Army Chief Gen Anupong Paojinda visited the army rank and file and urged them to exercise utmost restraint while carrying out their duty.

Fourteen battalions of additional troops have been deployed at the 11th Infantry, which has added barbed wire surrounding its compound. Loudspeakers have been installed to facilitate communication and to warn demonstrators in case they trespass into the compound.

Meanwhile, Acting Government Spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said the prime minister’s schedule will not be made public for safety reasons and that the government has no plan to invoke an emergency law. (TNA)