Cabinet members to go on standby during anti-govt rally
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Nine Cabinet members will be on standby to convene an urgent meeting over the weekend should the anti-government rally, expected to attract up to 50,000 people, escalate into violence.
The National Security Council expects some 40,000 demonstrators to join the rally organised by Pitak Siam leader General Boonlert Kaewprasit at the Royal Plaza on Saturday, though police believe 50,000 people will show up.
Deputy Government Spokesman Pakdiharn Himathongkham said Deputy PrM Chalerm Yoobamrung has told eight fellow Cabinet members to go on standby in case the government needs to put the capital under emergency rule. Chalerm will also be on standby, the spokesman said.
The Cabinet members on standby are Deputy PM Plodprasop Suraswadi, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul, Deputy PM and Education Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana, Defence Minister Sukampol Suwannathat, Deputy Transport Minister General Prin Suvanadat, Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan, Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Prasopdee and PM’s Office Minister Varathep Ratanakorn.
Pakdiharn said Atchaporn Jarujinda, secretary general of the Office of the Council of State, has also be told to be available in case the Cabinet needs legal advice on measures that can be taken to deal with protesters.
The spokesman said Chalerm had told the Cabinet at the weekly meeting yesterday that the government would deal with protesters in line with the nine-step master plan, adding that the police commissioner-general would be informed of the master plan.
He said the rally would also be broadcast live on TV so the public is informed of the situation in order to keep the public informed of the situation and the measures being taken to deal with the protesters. He added that some 5,000 to 8,000 police officers would be deployed to guard Government House during the rally.
Meanwhile, NSC secretary-general Lt-General Paradorn Pattanathabutr said his agency expected at least 40,000 protesters to show up at the rally. He said Chalerm had voiced concern at a meeting with the Internal Security Operations Command that a third party might try to create a situation during the rally.
Paradorn added that Deputy Interior Minister Chatt Kuldiloke had also allegedly heard that certain red-shirt groups would be hired to create violence against Pitak Siam protesters, hence the government will try to speak to red-shirt leaders and have them control their groups.
He added that the police, military and civilian intelligence sources had learned that a group of the government’s opponents had prepared some 3,000 to 4,000 members of the red-shirt movement to create problems.
The NSC chief said the government also expected red-shirt leaders to hold a parallel demonstration at a site that is far from the Royal Plaza, hence a clash between the two groups can be prevented.
Royal Thai Police spokesman Pol Maj-General Piya Uthayo said the Special Branch Police expected more than 50,000 people to take part in the protest, adding that people were believed to have been given between Bt300 and Bt1,500 to join the rally.
The demonstrators have also allegedly been told to prepare basic necessities so they can stay at the protest site for a few days, Piya said. They have also allegedly been told to bring along swimming goggles to protect themselves against tear gas.
Piya said Police Commissioner General Pol General Adul Saengsingkaew had prepared 112 companies comprising 16,800 policemen to maintain security around the rally site. He said 23,000 civilian volunteers will also be on standby at 192 Bangkok police stations, ready to be deployed if police need help to control the situation.
