Chalerm threatens to crack down on protesters
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Chalerm Yoobamrung, the director of the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order, Monday threatened to crack down on rally sites where there are only a few protesters.
“From now on, I’ll pounce on any rally site when there is small number of protesters,” an angry Chalerm said.
Chalerm, also caretaker labour minister, said he would act against protesters because Suthep Thaugsuban, secretary-general of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, had breached his promise to rally only at Asoke intersection, Lumpini park, Ratchaprasong intersection and Pathumwan Intersection.
Chalerm said Suthep mobilised some 4,000 protesters to surround the Government House and that 500 of this number were security guards.
He said he wasn’t worried that the protesters had built concrete walls to block two gates of the Government House because the government could easily use a bulldozer to knock the walls down.
But he said he found it unacceptable that Suthep had broken his promise by holding a rally at the Government House and would therefore crack down on the protesters whenever it was possible.
He said the protesters, who were in small number, would be arrested for violating the emergency decree and obstructing traffic.
