Military
concerned over royal security
Motorcade forced to change routes
Wassana Nanuam and
Wassayos Ngamkham
Bangkok Post, Aug 2, 2000
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Female protesters on hunger strike rest in a tent
in front of Government House. _ APICHIT JINAKUL |
The military is worried over the safety
of Their Majesties the King and Queen after protest rallies in front of
Government House forced the royal motorcade to change routes on Monday
night.
The motorcade taking the royal couple to a funeral rite at Wat
Benjamaborpit was forced to avoid Phitsanulok and Nakhon Pathom roads
because they were dotted with makeshift shelters of Pak Moon dam
protesters, Lt-Gen Pongthep Thetprateep, chief of the joint civil affairs
directorate, said yesterday.
Though there were no road blocks put up by the protesters, the squalid
condition of both streets prompted the police to re-direct the motorcade
to another route after consulting with the Royal Household Bureau, he
added.
Gen Mongkol Ampornpisit, the supreme commander, was very concerned the
ongoing protest might compromise the security for the Royal Family, Lt-Gen
Pongthep said.
The military did not feel good about what had happened because
"the King should, in fact, be able to go anywhere on Thai soil",
he added.
But Gen Surayud Chulanont, the army commander, yesterday insisted the
military would keep a distance.
"Soldiers feel worried but it is not our duty [to quell
protests]," he said.
Pol Lt-Gen Wannarat Kotcharak, the metropolitan police chief, yesterday
said the protesters were causing trouble to other people because their
activities had resulted in heavy traffic jams around Government House.
But he assured police would not use force to disperse them.
Authorities would try to make the protesters realise they also had to
obey the law while exercising their right of assembly, Pol Lt-Gen Wannarat
said.
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai also said yesterday the protesters would
be asked to stop blocking streets since such action was creating huge
traffic congestion, especially in the morning when children were going to
school.
Police
reluctant to act as protesters block city road
Post Reporters
The Democracy Network and labour
protesters continued to block the road in front of Government House
yesterday to pressure the government.
About 400 workers from Thai-Durable Textiles Plc protested in front of
Government House from 11am, closing off Phitsanulok road. Heavy traffic
backed up on Ratchadamneon avenue, the Royal Plaza, Nakhon Sawan and Rama
V roads and Dusit Zoo.
The protesters sat in scorching heat and also withstood a 4pm downpour.
They refused to leave until Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai solved their
problems. The road was still sealed off late last night.
Banyat Bantadtan, the interior minister, admitted the police were
worried about how to handle the situation without being condemned by
society again.
Among the protesters were 390 textile workers aged over 35, who had
been laid off by the new management team of Thai-Durable Textiles Plc.
The prime minister said after yesterday's cabinet meeting that
motorists and pedestrians had complained to police about severe traffic
jams.
"But the government will not use decisive action against
protesters," Mr Chuan insisted.
In another development, the public forum which is to be televised by
state media has drawn criticism from the Assembly of the Poor, which
issued a statement denying any involvement in the closure of Phitsanulok
road.
Akapol Sorasuchart, the government spokesman, said the public forum
would be broadcast by Channel 11 television station at 8.30pm tomorrow,
and on Public Relations Department radio.
Chaipant Praphasavat, adviser to the assembly, said the government had
not told the assembly about the schedule and the format of the public
forum.
The assembly preferred to hold the forum at Chulalongkorn or Thammasat
universities to allow access to all television stations, and that the
airtime would not be limited to only 1-2 hours.
Meanwhile, the number of protesters on hunger strike has reached 26-17
women and nine men. Four of them have been fasting since July 27.
In Ubon Ratchathani province, Somdee Khamhaeng, core leader of Pak Moon
dam protesters, said the number of fish had increased after all eight
sluice gates were opened.
Meanwhile, the Electricity Generating Authority has been airing a
message on FM99.5 radio that the opening of the gates would cost the
country 200 million baht in damages annually
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