Apec Summit venue off-limits for protests, police chief warns
The Apec Summit venue and its surrounding area will be off-limits to protesters next week, the National Police chief said on Friday.
Pol General Damrongsak Kittipraphat also called for cooperation from activist groups that are planning demonstrations during the Bangkok meeting to avoid creating chaos.
“They have the right to express their opinions but that should be done in accordance with the law. This is an international conference, so I would like to ask everyone to help prevent chaos. If any disorder occurs, police will enforce the law strictly,” he said.
Damrongsak was speaking to reporters at the meeting venue, Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC).
He was on hand there as Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, who is in charge of security affairs, inspected the police’s preparations to provide security to leaders from 21 member economies of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum attending the meeting on November 18-19.
Damrongsak maintained that the police’s security preparations were “100 per cent ready”, adding that all personnel involved have been stationed and prepared for operations.
The police chief said protest organisers are required by the Public Assembly Act to seek permission from the police before holding demonstrations, adding that their application would be considered on a case-by-case basis.
“But the area in and around the convention centre will be closed to unauthorised people. No protesters will be allowed to enter the area,” Damrongsak said.
He suggested that protesters gather at the Lan Kon Muang square outside the City Hall, which has been designated by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration for demonstrations.
The anti-establishment group, Rassadon, has announced its plan to stage a protest during the summit.
On Friday morning, four activists from Greenpeace Thailand staged a demonstration by floating in the vast pond in front of the QSNCC, holding yellow placards. Their banners read: “To climate polluters: Pay up for loss and damage” and “Apec, stop greenwashing”.
When asked if the protest pointed to lax security, the police chief told reporters that full-scale security measures would be in force from next Monday [Nov 14]. “I can confirm that an incident like this will not happen during the meeting,” he said.
