Almost 9,000 police officers expected to keep security nationwide for Saturday rallies
A news source revealed yesterday (September 16) that the Royal Thai Police Headquarters has ordered Provincial Police Region 1-8 and Border Patrol Police to dispatch thousands of officers to keep law and order at political rallies scheduled across the country on Saturday (September 19).
The main rally is led by the United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration group at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus in Bangkok, while it is believed rallies will also be held in several other provinces.
The source cited a letter by deputy police chief Pol Lt-General Damrongsak Kittipraphas, which was dispatched to the two provincial police divisions on September 14.
The letter said Provincial Police Region 1-8 must contribute 48 companies while the Border Patrol Police will contribute nine, totalling 8,550 officers, to assist the Metropolitan Police Bureau during the rallies. Drafted officers must report for duty tomorrow evening (September 18).
Metropolitan Police Bureau deputy commissioner Pol Maj-General Somprasong Yenthuam said earlier that the bureau would draft at least 2,000 police officers to maintain law and order as well as facilitate traffic flow at Saturday’s rally in Bangkok. They have also prepared three companies of crowd-control officers on the university campus, six companies around Sanam Luang and three companies around Government House on September 19 and 20.