Military deployed to guard Bangkok Apec summit venue
Thai police and military personnel will be ready to deal with possible unrest during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Bangkok next month.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the deployment of both police and soldiers to guard the Apec Economic Leaders’ Meeting at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre on November 18 and 19.
All five police special forces will be deployed – the Metropolitan Police Bureau's "Arintaraj 26", Border Patrol Police's Naresuan 261 unit, Special Service Division Commandos, the Crime Suppression Division's Hanuman unit and Narcotics Suppression Bureau's Sayop Pairee force.
Meanwhile the Royal Thai Armed Forces will provide security for Apec members on land, water and air while working with related agencies to monitor the movement of terrorists worldwide.
Once Apec members' aircraft enter Thai airspace, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) will be responsible security of flight routes and airports, said RTAF chief ACM Alongkorn Wannarot.
Alongkorn said the RTAF is now clearing aircraft from its parking slots in preparation for Apec members’ arrival.
He added that up to 800 officials from Saudi Arabia would also visit Thailand during the summit and that preparations at airports would not affect other passengers.
Police will be responsible for providing security inside Apec venues, while the military will guard the exterior of venues, according to a Thai security source.
Thai security agencies will also cooperate with their counterparts from Apec countries to maximise effectiveness of security operations.
The source said security agencies were also monitoring the movements of Thai protesters in a bid to ensure they do not disrupt the Apec meet.
On August 24, more than 300 protesters from the Northern Peasant Federation rallied outside Le Meridien Hotel in Chiang Mai where the 5th Apec Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Forestry was being held.
The group were demanding that Apec members oppose the confiscation of Thai state forestland and eviction of forest-dwellers, claiming the land was being handed to corporations as part of “greenwashing” to offset carbon emissions.
