Anti-red shirt group stages rally in Phuket

Pisarn Hattakarn, the leader of the group, led 200 locals carrying placards taunting the red-shirt movement with messages such as “We love the King the most”, “No red shirts in Tambon Kudaeng” and “We want peace and not divisions”.

He said his group had decided to stage the rally in response to the red shirts’ plan to organise a rally in the local area by setting up tents and stages. He said his group had stopped the red shirts from organising the event and told them to remove all their equipment out of the local area.

Chamlong Limpradit, one of Pisarn’s followers, said he did not want to see divisions in his town and did not want to see any political colours, only peace.

Suchart Petcharat, a leader of the red shirts, said his group would go ahead with its plan to hold the rally focused on the anti-drug campaign and would be attended by leaders Thida Tawornset, Jatuporn Prompan, Weng Tojirakarn and Kokaew Pikulthong. He insisted that the activity would be held today from 3pm at the beach outside Rojjarin Seafood restaurant. He expected some 2,000 people to attend the rally.

“The rally is not about setting up a red-shirt village but we want to know what is wrong about setting up a red-shirt village. The rally is an anti-drug and political campaign rolled in one. We have the constitutional right to express our opinion,’’ he said.

He said he would try to prevent clashes and that some streets would be off limits because of the rally.

Democrat Party deputy leader Thaworn Senneam challenged the red-shirt leader to contest elections in the South. He said the red-shirt plan to set up red-shirt villages in the South would cause divisions in the region. He added that whenever the red shirts took to the stage, they just slammed Privy Council Chief General Prem Tinsulanonda without grounds.

He said he was worried about the possibility of political conflict in Phuket as the red shirts were insisting on holding the rally despite local opposition.