- Writer: Bangkok Post.com
- Published: 14/08/2009 at 03:53 PM
Twenty-seven companies of police will be on duty to maintain law and order on Monday when the red-shirts of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship submit their petition to His Majesty the King seeking a pardon for fugitive politician Thaksin Shinawatra.
Pol Gen Wichien Pojphosri, the acting police chief, said 10 companies comprising 1,500 police will be deployed at Sanam Luang and the other 17 companies will be on standby, starting at 6pm on Sunday.
Arrangements will be made for representatives of the UDD to enter the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary through Wiset Chaisri gate. The red-shirts will be allowed to gather only at the Sanam Luang ground.
Pol Maj-Gen Wichai Sangprapai, commander of the Metropolitan Police Division 1, will be in charge of the security operation.
Two companies of police will be deployed at the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions, which is due to give its verdict in the rubber saplings corruption case in which former Thaksin deputy agriculture minister Newin Chidchob, the de facto leader of the government coalition Bhumjaithai Party, is a defendant.
Five other companies will be stationed along one side of Sanam Luang, opposite the court, to prevent any possible clash between rival groups of demonstrators.
Pol Gen Wichien said he will seek cooperation from the Interior Ministry, Internal Security Operations Command, and provincial police in all regions to discourage people from travellng to Bangkok to join the gathering.
However, those who want to attend will not be blocked from doing so.
He did not expect the rally would be prolonged.
Meanwhile, an academic from Chulalongkorn University has sent a list of 5,000 names of lecturers, students and other people opposed to the petition for a royal pardon for Thakskin to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Assistant Professor Dr Tul Sitthisomwong of the faculty of medicine presented the list to deputy government spokesman Wachara Kannikar.
The list was accompanied by an open letter demanding that Thaksin tell his supporters to abandon their plan to present the petition because it was not a lawful procedure.
Thaksin, as a convicted felon, must petition His Majesty the King himself, the letter said.
''To love Thaksin is not wrong'', the letter said, ''but to use that popularity in breaking the rule of law and regulations must not be done.''
Mr Tul called on the government and related agencies to inform the red-shirt people they had no legal right to lodge the petition on Thaksin's behalf.
Proceeding with the action could also cause a lot of dissatisfaction among the five million people who had signed their names in opposition to the petition.
He asked the media to help persuade people not to join the red-shirt gathering on Monday, because it was an attempt to manipulate the masses to pressure the royal institution.
House Speaker Chai Chidchob said he would not seek a royal pardon for his son Newin if he is found guilty in the 1.44 billion baht rubber saplings case.
The Supreme Court will rule on the corruption case involving Mr Newin and 43 others over the Agriculture Ministry's purchase of 90 million rubber saplings between 2004 and 2006.
Mr Newin was deputy agriculture minister in the Thaksin Shinawatra administration at the time.
Mr Chai said whoever has done anything wrong must face the consequences.
Asked about the red-shirts' petition rally on Monday, Mr Chai said it was of no concern to him.
He believed that after the petition was submitted the red-shirt group would lay the matter to rest.
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