Red Shirts to pressure PM Abhisit by following him ‘everywhere’

BANGKOK, March 22 (TNA) – Thailand’s anti-government protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) will continue to put more pressure on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva by sending groups of Red Shirt protesters to follow him everywhere he goes, in Bangkok and in the provinces, until he bows to the UDD demand to dissolve Parliament, according to UDD core leader Natthawut Saikua.

Mr Natthawut said starting from Monday, a rapid response group of UDD activists with some 10,000 members, will follow the premier to everywhere he goes, no matter whether he is working in Bangkok or the provinces.

He said the mission of the unit is not to obstruct Mr Abhisit from doing his official duties, but only to pressure him to dissolve Parliament and to call for fresh elections.

If the prime minister continues to use the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bangkhen as his primary workplace, the Red Shirts will consider that he lacks potential to work as prime minister, said the UDD leader.

Mr Natthawut said that the Red Shirts will also apply another strategy, by pitching their own tents next to the military tents which were set up around the protest site to show that if the soldiers want to search for arms, the Red Shirt must be vigilant against soldiers who may have arms.

He also warned that if the signal of its television network, People Channel TV, is blocked or disrupted by the government, more protesters would flood onto the streets of Bangkok.

As for the proposed talks on Monday between the Red Shirts and the government to find a solution to the political deadlock as brokered by a group of Senators, Mr Natthawut said that the Red Shirts were unwilling to talk with anyone but Mr Abhisit himself and tthat he premier must dissolve Parliament.

Mr Natthawut said the talks need ‘sincerity’ and that he did not want red tape such as initial talks for drawing up a framework which was unnecessary.

Mr Abhisit had earlier designated his Secretary General Korbsak Sabhavasu and Education Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat to hold talks with the Red Shirt leaders led by Weng Tojirakan and Charan Ditthaapichai.

However, the talks were a non-starter as the Red Shirt demanded talks with the prime minister and not with anyone he delegated. (TNA)