Army ready to regain Ratchaprasong when situation permits

BANGKOK, April 24 (TNA) – After hearing complaints by Bangkokians of their hardships in travel within the city and commuting to work due to thousands of anti-government protesters occupying Ratchaprasong intersection, Bangkok’s prime business district, for three weeks, an army spokesman said Saturday that soldiers are ready to regain the area when the situation permits, after the ‘misinformed, innocent protesters’ have left the rally site.

Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, as spokesman of Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES),  said the ongoing protest by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) is not taking place only at Ratchaprasong but it has spread to a number of provinces nationwide.

Protests upcountry can still be controlled by the government, but to disperse the crowd at Ratchaprasong could fuel protests taking place in some provinces and could aggravate hatred in future, he said.

UDD protesters have rallied at Ratchaprasong intersection since April 2 and later abandoned their main demonstration site on Ratchadamnoen Avenue.

They now demand that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva dissolve the House within one month and hold fresh general elections within 60 days after that.

He said the government and the CRES should together explain to the upcountry public so they understand the situation, and at the same time convince as many innocent people as possible to leave the rally site so that government forces can disperse the protesters.

Dispersing the protesters, or even suppressing them, is not appropriate now, but with several new measures, it is “possible that we could achieve that target,” said Col Sansern.

Police are adapting their strategies to coordinate with the army, he said. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, director of CRES, will meet with provincial governors Sunday on what should be explained to people in provinces. (TNA)