Protesters refuse to move from Chaeng Wattana
The second round of negotiation to talk People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) into moving from Chaeng Wattana to Muang Thong Thani has failed, Maj-General Surachart Jitjaeng, chief of the Defence Ministry's public relations department said yesterday
Surachart said protest leader Phra Buddha Issara said the protesters would stop blocking traffic on Chaeng Wattana Road only if General Nipat Thonglek, the Defence Ministry’s permanent secretary, spent three nights and three days at the rally site. However, Nipat has only agreed to spend one night – from 6pm to 6am – at the site.
Surachart said the monk was also insisting that the negotiators put their lives on the line should any violence break out at the rally site. He added that he was not sure if there would be a third round of negotiation.
Phra Buddha Issara said the negotiators wanted the protesters to relocate, not just open the road to the traffic. He said talks like this could be a breach of the Civil Court’s order for an injunction against the government’s imposition of emergency decree.
He added he would lead protesters and farmers to pledge 10 truckloads of rice to a government agency today. He did not disclose which government agency this would be.
