Police, red shirts prepare for second anniversary commemoration
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Police plan to deploy more than 1,000 police to the red shirts' commemoration of the second anniversary of the political violence at Ratchaprasong intersection on Saturday.
Pol Maj Gen Methee Kusonsang, deputy metropolitan commissioner, said bomb squad police will be deployed on Friday to screen the area. He added that police deployed to the ceremony would come from several police departments, including special forces, crime suppression as well from 191 emergency hotline respondents.
He said police had already talked with and sought cooperation from red shirt chief Thida Thavornset and Ratchaprasong traders’ chief, Chai Srivikorn, about the organisation of the event.
It is estimated there may be more than 50,000 red shirts joining the commemoration, which will start in the afternoon.
Thida claimed earlier that there would be about 100,000 people coming to Ratchaprasong Road in memory of those who died. “We want to state that the red shirts still exist, and we still want the truth to come out and justice for the dead,” she said.
Methee told reporters that police have asked for cooperation in not allowing parking of vehicles in the area of the event to provide space for those attending the commemoration.
Four checkpoints operated by police and red shirts’ guards would be set up at the Chidlom intersection in front of Mater Dei School, Pratunam, Chalermpao and Rajadamri Intersections.
“There will be more than 1,000 police deployed to provide safety for the commemoration,” he said.
The red shirts are asked not to set up a stage at the Ratchaprasong intersection to allow traffic to flow on Rama I Road, he said, adding that the stage will face the Pratunam area.
The tentative schedule of the ceremony will include a video link by fugitive ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra at 8pm and a candle-lit ceremony at 9pm.
