UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon, expressed concern about the violence in Bangkok and called on all sides to stop the ongoing crisis in peaceful ways. He demanded the Thai government and the UDD to find an exit together and avoid further violence.

US State Department Deputy Spokesperson, Gordon Duguid, denounced the riots in Bangkok. On behalf of the US, he voiced concerns about the safety of people and asked UDD core leaders as well as opposition politicians to tell UDD supporters to stop the unrest instigation.

Nevertheless, Mr Duguid praised some UDD core leaders for surrendering themselves to police and supporting the demonstrators’ peaceful and safe return home.

The EU as well as many countries such as Brazil, Denmark, and Finland also expressed concerns on the situation in Thailand and hoped that it would be restored back to normalcy very soon.

UDD Secretary-General, Nattawut Saikua announced on stage and told all UDD protestors to be ready for more intense operations of security officers to regain the areas occupied by the group. UDD guards have been distributing facemasks and plastic bags for UDD protestors to protect themselves from teargas.

UDD core figures, MD Weng Tojirakarn and Arisman Pongruangrong were reported to be wearing bulletproof vests at the backstage of the rally site at Ratchaprasong. All UDD core leaders were reported to be very stressful with the situation.

Earlier, UDD protestors at Ratchaprasong Intersection launched out lanterns, shot Bangfai rockets, and lit up firecrackers to prevent helicopters of the troops sent to survey the situation

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva stated during his weekly talk show, “Confidence in Thailand with PM Abhisit”, that the reopening of the schools under the supervision of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) located near the protest venue of the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) had been postponed to 24 May 2010 in the wake of the intensifying political unrest.

PM Abhisit said the government’s Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) was exploring additional security measures to effectively deal with the ongoing rally situation. He insisted that the ending of the protest was deemed as the concrete solution to prevent further losses as the ongoing anti-government rally was initially aimed at instigating violence and the armed militants infiltrated the anti-government group to attack security forces.

He has instructed the general public to avoid the protest site as legal measures must be lodged against those broke the law and also urged the UDD key leaders under arrest warrants to enter the judicial process and return to the reconciliation table. He said all parties, also Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban or himself must comply with the rule of law.

Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister and Acting Government Spokesperson, Dr Panitan Wattanayagorn has suggested the UDD to urgently make their decision as late decision-making would result in a late election date and impede the reconciliation roadmap accordingly.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva earlier announced his readiness to dissolve the house in late September and hold a fresh election on 14 November 2010 as a part of the reconciliation roadmap to end the ongoing political conflict while the UDD is requested to end its rally.

Regarding the revocation of the emergency decree, Dr Panitan responded that overall national security must be prioritized.

Mr Satit stated that tough action must be taken as the UDD has been using different forms of media, including satellite television, community radio, the Internet, and publishing media to disseminate false information and create misunderstanding in the ongoing political situation. Their actions have affected the monarchy, and the judiciary system.

The minister added that the government has been trying to clarify and correct the public’s understanding numerous times; however, more use of media to provoke people could still be found on a continuous basis.

Upon criticisms against the state-owned media’s lack of neutrality and role of inciting divisions, Mr Satit responded that all state-owned media agencies will keep presenting complete facts, while assuring that the government has no policy to use media to create division in society.

The minister uttered that those offended by the presentation of news or any news programs by state-owned media are indeed free to take legal action.

According to MD Buranat, the Democrat party was ready for the third round of talks with the UDD in a bid to bring peace and order back to the society. He stressed that the government’s current mission was to help protect citizens from the terrorist attempts as well as to arrest third party instigators of the clashes on 10 and 22 April 2010.

If the UDD would like to hold talks with the government, then the UDD should provide hints for the outlaws’ information to the officers, said MD Buranat.

As for the response of several dissolution timeframe requested by the UDD, the Prime Minister’s Spokesperson, Thepthai Senapong elaborated that he would like the core figures to suggest a practical timeframe that would be agreeable to all parties.

UDD leader Jatuporn Prompan addressed the red-shirted protesters staying at Ratchaprasong for the third week that reports said the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) had coordinated with department stores and hotels around the rally site to evacuate their employees
from the area.

Mr Jatuporn claimed the CRES’s movement is a signal that there might be a crackdown soon and if mobile phone signals cannot be connected, it means the army operation is about to begin.

The Red Shirt leader told the crowd to closely monitor the situation and step up security measures at the protest area.

The demonstrators earlier installed large black nets as an awning for the stage and rally site, aiming to prevent possible attacks on the protest leaders, as well as to give shade for the protesters under the scorching sun.

Following the decision of the House not to set up a special committee to probe the April 10 clash between the Red Shirts and the security forces which left 25 persons dead and more than 800 injured, Mr Jatuporn  criticised the government for not wanting an investigation of the incident.

The UDD leader also said he has learned that the Japanese cameraman of Thompson Reuters news agency, Hiroyuki Muramoto, was killed by a rubber bullet.

Mr Jatuporn claimed that the rubber bullets were used by soldiers and if fired at close range, the bullet can pierce through plywood and metal sheets.

The Red Shirt leader said the group will keep the dead bodies of its supporters for further autopsy to prosecute Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

A Thai News Agency (TNA) reporter reported that combined forces of police and army personnel have been deployed in front of and around Dusit Thani Hotel in the Silom area to ensure safety and prevent any clash between the Red Shirt protesters and those who opposed the UDD movement after some members of the public gathered Tuesday night at Saladaeng intersection confronting the UDD red-shirted activists encamped nearby at Lumpini Park.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Abhisit told the House session that he supported the Senate’s general debate motion without voting this Friday.

“I reaffirm that I will use this channel to open a joint parliamentary session to hear comments from the members of parliament and senators to find the solutions out of the conflict,” said the premier, “but the decision will be made by the Cabinet.”

Mr Abhisit reaffirmed that the government has never intended to hurt the people, but said what had happened needed to be proven to establish the facts. (TNA)

Mrs Suthida Tungburapajit, in her capacity as chief of the anti-government group in Prachuap Khiri Khan reaffirmed today that the UDD will not disrupt the first Mekong River Commission (MRC) summit, starting tomorrow. She elaborated further that the UDD has resolved to use only peaceful means during its mass demonstration.

The MRC Summit will be attended by foreign leaders and delegates from five nations — Cambodia, China, Laos, Vietnam and Myanmar.

The Cabinet on Tuesday endorsed the enforcement of the Internal Security Act at the meeting venue in Prachuap Khiri Khan and Petchaburi provinces in an effort to ensure peace and order.

The anti-government UDD began their mass rallies on 14 March in Bangkok to press Democrat-led government to dissolve the Lower House and call for snap election. The group is currently considering to stage another fresh mass rally on 3 April following the government’s refusal to meet their demand for House dissolution within 15 days.

Negotiations between both sides have been the only initiative thus far to create peace and harmony in the nation, said Secretary-General to the Prime Minister Korbsak Sabhavasu. The third round of talks is yet to be confirmed.

Regarding a nine-month time frame given by the government to dissolve the house, the secretary-general said Prime Minister Abhisit was more concerned over the stability of a new government and orderliness in the country. Mr Abhisit has expressed his stance that fresh elections within nine months would be futile if it did not bring peace and harmony to the Kingdom, said Mr Korbsak.

Mr Korbsak said further talks should be held to improve the criteria for a general election, not for setting a new time frame.

If the talks continued to drag on about the new election’s time frame, agreements would not be made, the premier’s secretary-general said.