THE DEPUTY Prime Minister in charge of security Prawit Wongsuwan said yesterday that if the red shirts wanted to conduct a merit-making rite to commemorate those killed in 2010 during the crackdown on protesters, they should do it at home.
"Soldiers were killed also. We do not hold any commemoration for them. If the red shirts want to carry out religious rites, we do not stop them but please do so at home. Do not get together and do it publicly, since it may become an issue. It is not good,'' said Prawit, who is also the defence minister.
Commemoration event cancelled
The government response came after the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) on Tuesday submitted a letter to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, seeking permission to hold a commemoration event on the fifth anniversary of the crackdown on Friday.
UDD leader Jatuporn Prompan said the red shirts would not set up a rally stage and the activity would not have any political motivation.
The red shirts had said if the government did not allow them to conduct a merit-making rite but allowed the Democrat Party to conduct a religious rite to mark its 69th anniversary, then they would be showing they were biased.