Supporters and protesters to rally as PM arrives to floral welcome in US

The premier was welcomed upon arrival at his New York hotel yesterday by a group of Thais, who presented him and his wife Narapon with flowers and a book titled “The Sweet Spot”. One of them said Prayut was their last hope for saving the country. After thanking them, he commented that such expectations sometimes put pressure on him.

Although officials at the Thai mission and consular office in New York said they had not prepared such a greeting for the premier, Prayut and his team were informed in advance that some Thai supporters would greet him at the hotel.

On the other side of the coin, however, is what is planned for today, when about 80-100 people from the self-styled Red New York group are scheduled to demonstrate near the UN headquarters in New York City to deliver an anti-dictatorship message. Their members are overseas Thais from various US states, including Florida, Connecticut and New Jersey, as well as from Canada and Europe, said a coordinator of the group.

They have been granted permission to gather at the corner of First Avenue and 47th Street, near the UN building, from 11am to 5pm (New York time) for a peaceful demonstration, at which they intend to deliver statements, show posters and give interviews to the media.

“Our message will focus on issues of democracy, human rights and political prisoners. as well as calling for the government not to bring civilians before the Martial Court,” said the coordinator, who declined to be named.

“We are talking about principles. This is nothing personal about General Prayut Chan-o-cha. But we don’t like to see a military dictator at home, and will tell the world that our country has this problem,” the coordinator added.

Red New York is in fact not a new face, as it has been associated with the red-shirt movement in Thailand and organises demonstrations occasionally in the US to demand what it terms “the return of democracy to Thailand”.

Meanwhile, a pro-government group has been allowed to demonstrate at the same location today and tomorrow from 10am to 5pm to show its support to Prayut and the junta.

The group said the gathering could reach 400, with the attendance of Thais from various parts of the US, including Boston, Los Angeles and Washington DC.

“Our main message is to give support to General Prayut, since we love him and want to thank him for his work in staging the coup to save our country,” said Pailin Kumsiri, a group coordinator who presented flowers to the PM and his wife yesterday. “We want to tell the world how this dictatorship is better than the [previous] elected government,” she said.

Pailin said her group could get to see the anti-government Red New York group at close quarters today as they would be rallying in the same area, but the two groups had given their word to local US authorities not to clash with each other.

“The gathering will be peaceful. We are just going to express our views. We don’t need to fight each other. Indeed, Thais in the US know and respect each other,” she added.

Prayut began his work yesterday with a meeting with Team Thailand – a combination of Thai officials from all agencies working in the US – to guide them on the government’s direction and policies on relations with the US.

He will today attend the UN “Sustainable Development Summit 2015” and visit an exhibition on sufficiency economy at UN headquarters, before dining with the US-Asean Business Council in the evening.

Meanwhile Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, who is in charge while the PM is away, said he was not worried about the premier’s safety, even though some anti-junta Thais based in the US had threatened to move against him during his trip. He also shrugged off reports that the Red New York group would host a live broadcast of its rally against Prayut. “What are we supposed to do? If they want to broadcast it, then go for it,” he said.