Protesters 'will resist move to disperse them at Interior ministry'
THE NATION February 11, 2014 1:00 am
SOME PEOPLE'S Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protesters from the group's Silom rally base yesterday moved to support their colleagues at the Interior Ministry after reports emerged that the government would disperse them from the premises to allow ministry officials to resume work, PDRC leader Thaworn Senneam said.
The reports said the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) had issued an order to disperse protesters at the ministry. Territorial defence volunteers and police would be deployed to round up protesters refusing to withdraw and slap them with charges of |illegal encroachment on state |premises.
Responding to the report, Thaworn said unarmed protesters from the Silom base were brought to camp outside the ministry overnight to demonstrate civil disobedience while rapid-response teams would be dispatched to provide backup in any emergency situation.
The CMPO's move to disperse the protesters would be a breach of the Civil Court and Constitutional Court orders that ban officials from using excessive force to disperse protesters, he said.
Thaworn said he also had his lawyer file a suit with the Civil Court, accusing the government of intimidation for summoning managers of two hotels where PDRC leaders have their meals. He said the government had also frozen bank accounts of PDRC financial supporters.
Meanwhile, PDRC leader Witthaya Kaewparadai led 400 protesters on the subway from their Silom rally base to join PDRC top leader Suthep Thaugsuban at the BTS's Ekkamai station. There they held a march to solicit public donations from onlookers at Soi Ekkamai, Petchaburi Road, Thong Lor and Sukhumvit Road to help farmers |pay for their food and travelling expenses during their protest in Bangkok.
Some soldiers from the Army's Air Defence Artillery Division led by Lt-Colonel Chinnakrit Aimpan have been deployed to step up security for PDRC protesters on Soi Chaeng Wattana 12 after two were injured in an M79 bomb attack on Saturday.