The deputy prime minister stated that there is nothing to worry about concering the Thai-Cambodian border at present. He said the rumor has been disseminated to trigger concerns among the public.

As for the news report that Cambodia has not brought down its flag in the disputed zone, he responded that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the military are taking care of the issue.

As for the demands by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the deputy prime minister insisted again that they are difficult to follow. He however confirmed that the government is ready to talk with the protest group all the time.

Regarding the closure of several roads by the PAD demonstrators, Mr Suthep said the action is beyond the rights to assemble as stipulated in the constitution because it has been causing trouble to the public. He said the Metropolitan Police will try its best to negotiate with the protest group.

Mr Suthep’s decision followed an outcry by many senators and members of parliament over the deployment of troop and setup of concrete and barbed wire cordons around the Parliament, which the opposition said created an atmosphere rather like a new form of military coup.

Opposition MPs boycotted Thursday’s House session, claiming that the heightened security measures obstructed MPs ability to enter Parliament to do their duty.

Government chief whip Witthaya said after the whips’ meeting that Mr Suthep was invited to discuss the stringent measures and was asked by government members of parliament to ease some of the measures.

Mr Witthaya said the deputy premier agreed to withdraw police and military from the parliament compound in the afternoon after the House session ends.

“For next week’s session, the whip will coordinate with the government and will evaluate the situation,” Mr Witthaya explained.

The deputy premier asserted Thursday morning that the heavy security measures at Parliament is aimed at preventing any reoccurrence of violence and allow the MPs to enter and leave the compound safely without any obstruction by protesters.

The red-clad protesters led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) have been camped at Phan Fa Bridge on Ratchadamneon Avenue, not far from Parliament, for almost two weeks demanding the dissolution of Parliament and calling for a fresh election.

Mr Suthep added that the military deployment at the parliament will also prevent any possible blockade by the protesters and the lawmakers will be allowed to enter Parliament’s facilities as usual, but persons who are suspected as being likely to incite chaos will be barred from entering the area.

The deputy prime minister said that he will review the measures when the situation improves, asserting that the operation will not last long.

“I have overseen the situation and given instructions as you (the public) have heard the Red Shirt leaders announced to follow the prime minister wherever he goes and they did it several times,” said Mr Suthep.”What I have done is to issue preventive measures. When the measures are efficiently implemented, we will consider how to ease them.”

The Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) on Tuesday closed roads around Parliament as part of the security measures taken under the Internal Security Act, with signs reading “Restricted Area, only Cabinet members, Members of Parliament Senate will be allowed.”

The measures were boosted in fear that the Red Shirt protesters might lay siege to the compound and lead to a repetition of the October 7, 2008 confrontation at which anti-riot police clashed with anti-government protesters blockading Parliament. Two people were killed and hundreds were
injured.

Meanwhile, Senate Speaker Prasopsuk Boondej and a number of senators jointly hold a news conference Thursday blaming the government for not informing them about implementing major security measures at and around the parliament.

The Senate Speaker said the Senate was not informed by the government and most of senators have been affected by the measures.

“The Senate agreed that the government should inform us in advance because the Senate is an independent legislative body,” said Mr Prasopsuk,

“So we want to say that any such security measures to be taken should be informed to the Senate in advance,” he said. (TNA)

Mr Suthep spoke in response to an allegation by UDD core leader Jatuporn
Promphan, an opposition Puea Thai MP, who announced on Monday he would show what he claimed was the government’s confidential document on its plan to create a situation to crack down the Red Shirt demonstrators at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

The deputy prime minister who oversees national security said the claim that the government will create a situation and put the blame on the Red Shirts is a lie and distorted information.

“The government neither has a secret plan nor a secret meeting. How can they obtain a confidential document, when there is no secret plot,” Mr Suthep said.

The deputy prime minister however stated there is no room for complacency
despite the Red Shirt announcement Monday that they would not mount a mass rally on February 26, the date that the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions is scheduled to rule on the assets seizure case of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

He assured the public that his government will continue monitoring the situation closely, particularly at critical areas and offices to ensure that no violence occurs.

“The government is well-prepared for the 10 dangerous days ahead of court
ruling on February 26 to maintain law and order,” Mr Suthep said.

Shortly afterwards, Mr Jatuporn distributed to journalists what he claimed
was a leaked 37-page plan from last Friday’s National Security Council (NSC) meeting which was chaired by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

“The plan was not a security plan, but a plot to incite violence that will lead to the arrest of the Red Shirt leaders and the government may invoke the Internal Security Act,” Mr Jatuporn charged. “The government believes that arresting any key Red Shirt leader will cause the protest to dwindle to about 1,000 demonstrators.”

He also challenged the government to prove whether or not the secret plan
does exist.

NSC secretary-general Thawil Pliansri rejected the claim, saying no security meetings ever touched on using violence against demonstrators. “As of now, the situation is not necessary to invoke the security law.

“Deputy prime minister Suthep made it clear at the meeting that security
personnels will not carry arms but anti-riot gears to control crowd in line with international practice,” Mr Thawil said. (TNA)

A grenade attack occurred about 11pm on Saturday at Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon, 50 metres from Government House.

Police believe that the grenade fired from a vehicle on Rama V Road was aimed at Government House but missed its target.

In another incident, police bomb experts Sunday defused an explosive device hidden in a cardboard carton at the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions.

Alerted by a security guard at 9.30am that a box wrapped with electrical wire was found near the court, police rushed to the scene and sprayed water on the box, which contained some three pounds of C4 explosive. If detonated, the bomb could have caused severe damage to people and buildings within a 50 metre radius.

No one was injured in either incident.

Mr Suthep conceded that the weekend incidents were unanticipated by the government. However he stated that he saw no need to implement the Internal Security Act.

Monday’s meeting will deal with security measures in response to and to prevent incidents affecting public order and safety.

Security will be heightened at the Supreme Court compound and to protect its judges.

Disturbances are expected to intensify ahead of the Supreme Court ruling on assets seizure of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra on February 26.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has ordered agencies concerned to find bombers and directed government offices to boost security measures.

The car normally transporting the prime minister to Government House has been changed. Security has been tightened for him as his motorcade was interrupted by two cars in two separate incidents on Saturday.

The security team forced the cars to slow down and no one was hurt in either incident. (TNA)

Mr. Suthep said the formula of the referendum was not yet concluded. Personally, he preferred to follow the Prime Minister’s suggestion that the referendum be made only once on all six issues. However, he said the issue needed to be agreed upon by the Prime Minister and the three-line whips. He said the operation on the public hearing would not be sluggish as the House of Representatives had already passed the Referendum Act.

He added all sides should join hands in making the public understand the importance and the procedures of the referendum. He said holding a public hearing would not be deemed as wasting money if the people had more understanding about it.

The cabinet’s meeting today will consider the proposal to purchase armaments of the defence ministry and the navy as well as crowd control equipment of the metropolitan police. The purchase thus far has been criticized for using a large budget while the proposal was made in the end of the fiscal year.

As a response, Mr Suthep insisted that the operation was conducted normally and explained that the process was done in accordance with the budget of each unit. He added that the purchase of crowd control equipment as proposed by the metropolitan police was necessary in order to ensure a standardized operation and safety for everyone.

Mr Suthep told reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Monday afternoon for about 45 minutes that there was no discussion about naming the acting top police official as the incumbent has not yet submitted a leave of absence letter.

He said once Gen Patcharawat submits the letter, then discussion would be made about his temporary stand-in.

Mr Abhisit last week met Gen Patcharawat and later said that the nation’s top cop would take 10-days leave for a mission in China – an absence which would smoothen the police investigation of the attempted killing of Peoples Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leader Sondhi Limthongkul on April 17. He is expected to leave for China this week.

Investigators earlier complained that the investigation of the case had run into difficulties as information had been leaked by unnamed police officers.

Meanwhile, Gen Patcharawat on Monday affirmed he was not disheartened, but said his has no plan to resign and intends to work until his September retirement.

Gen Patcharawat is scheduled to leave his post October 1 due to the policy of compulsory retirement at age 60.

The top police officer also reaffirmed that he had no conflict with the prime minister, saying that his relationship with Mr. Abhisit remains strong. (TNA)