Govt to again invoke security act

Writer: Bangkok Post.com
Published: 31/08/2009 at 05:13 PM

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said the Internal Security Act will be invoked again for the red-shirts' planned rally on Saturday.

Mr Suthep was speaking after a meeting with the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc) to discuss whether to lift the Internal Security Act imposed in Dusit district.

The meeting proposed that the cabinet be ready to quickly meet again to consider the re-imposition of the Internal Security Act (ISA) if intelligence units report the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) intended to stir up further unrest, he said.

The cabinet would be fully briefed on the feelings of the Isoc meeting onTuesday, Mr Suthep said.

The deputy prime minister said intelligence agencies believe the red-shirts will continue to rally and apply pressure on the government to dissolve the House and call a general election.

The declaration of the ISA in Dusit district would end on Tuesday, as earlier announced, he said. Security forces would also withdraw from the Government House area.

UDD leaders earlier announced the postponement of Sunday's protest rally until this Saturday, Sept 5, but said on Monday they would further postpone the demonstration until Sept 12 if the government again uses the Internal Security Act.

The government decided not to lift the ISA in Dusit district over the weekend even though the anti-government group postponed its protest.

"The rally could be rescheduled to Sept 12 if the Internal Security Act is still in force this weekend," opposition Puea Thai party-list MP and UDD core member Jatuporn Prompan said.

The demonstration might even be postponed to Sept 19, which was the third anniversary of the coup that ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, he said.

"The red-shirts will gather peacefully and the gathering will last for a single day. The group is ready to change its tactics to fight against a government that uses all types of authority," Mr Jatuporn said.

Democrat party spokesman Thepthai Senpong believed the UDD put off its planned protest on Sunday because the leaders realised that few people were supporting them, especially in Bangkok.

The UDD might organise gatherings in key areas of different regions to lower the costs, Mr Thepthai said.

"The government has no intention of trying to create a situation or of getting a third party to instigate unrest, as the Puea Thai Party claimed," he said. Read more!