Residents 'want protest stopped'

POLICE YESTERDAY renewed efforts to have a group of protesters leave the Urupong Intersection and return to Lumpini Park, saying local residents had filed complaints against them.
Pol Maj-General Adul Narongsak, deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said residents of the Prajaechin Market Community had filed complaints at the Phyathai police station against the Students and People Network for Thailand Reform.
Adul said residents complained that the demonstrations at the intersection on the outbound Rama VI Road, which began last Thursday, prevented them from entering their homes.
Moreover, mobile toilets were set up in front of their houses, causing foul odours. Wastewater was flowing into houses and shops, turning away prospective customers.
Residents also complained that the use of a public address system, speeches and music on the stage left them unable to sleep at night. The rally also prevented shoppers from reaching the market.
Adul said the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration had informed the Metropolitan Police Bureau that the demonstrators had never asked for permission from the BMA to hold a rally on the public space.
The group split from the People’s Army against the Thaksin Regime after the PA agreed to return to Lumpini Park last Thursday.
The group is rallying at the spot, which is located outside the three districts under the enforcement of the Internal Security Act. At its peak, it drew more than 1,000 demonstrators at night.
Police said the Urupong group remained a threat and they had asked the government to consider whether to extend the ISA enforcement.
Meanwhile, Uthai Yodmanee, a representative of the Students and People Network for Thailand Reform, said local residents told him they were happy the rally took place there, as they had been able to hear useful information. Moreover, the traffic was not blocked, Uthai said.
Uthai and Jaturon Boonbenjarat, a coordinator of the Green Politics Group, submitted a letter to Attorney General Athapol Yaisawang via Office of the Attorney-General spokesman Nanthasak Pulsuk.
They called on the attorney-general to review the decision of former attorney-general Julasingh Vasantasingh to drop a terrorism charge against former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The letter called on the current attorney-general to reopen the case against Thaksin.
In the meantime, Admiral Banawit Kengrian, a key member of the People’s Army to Overthrow the Thaksin Regime, filed a complaint with the Civil Court against the Cabinet as well as Deputy Prime Minister Niwatthumrong Boonsongpaisan for illegally invoking the Internal Security Act from October 9 in violation of the group’s rights. The group asked the court to order the revocation of the ISA.
Also yesterday, the Criminal Court ruled to reject a prosecution motion aimed at revoking the bail of three Lumpini rally organisers.
The court said the three had exercised their constitutional right and they had kept the rally peaceful and unarmed without violence or provocation.
 The three are Taikorn Polsuwan, Pichet Pattanachote and Somboon Thonguran, who have been granted temporary release pending judicial review of the closure of two Bangkok airports in 2008.
Meanwhile in Chiang Mai, over 1,000 corn growers continued their demonstration at the Mae Chaem district office for a second day yesterday.
They called on the government to buy their crops at a rate of Bt7 per kg and Bt9 per kg for corn of 30-per-cent and 14.5-per-cent moisture respectively. They threatened to protest at the Chiang Mai provincial hall if their demand was not met by today.