Thailand ’s authorities on March 11 began deployment of 50,000 troops on thestreets of Bangkok ahead of anti-government demonstrations that are feared maybreak out in violence.
Speaking with the press, Thai Deputy Prime MinisterSuthep Thausuban, who is overseeing the security operation, said the deployedforces include 30,000 soldiers, 10,000 police and 10,000 civilian volunteers.
According to local media, the so-called “Red Shirt” force which supportsformer Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced it would begin demonstratingfrom March 12, which is two weeks after the kingdom's top court confiscated 1.4billion USD of Thaksin’s assets.
“If protesters intrude into army basesor police stations, the government will use armed force to crack downimmediately, as we consider them terrorists,” deputy PM Thaugsubansaid.
Checkpoints are being set up in and around Bangkok to searchprotesters for weapons as they arrive from other provinces, focusing on theirstrongholds in the rural north.
Earlier on March 9, at it weekly meeting,Thailand's cabinet decided to impose the Internal Security Act (ISA) from March11-23 to ensure law and order during the mass anti-government rally. The actallows authorities to deploy troops on the streets during the rallies and toimpose curfews and ban gatherings.
The “Red Shirt” force said they expectup to 600,000 people to attend the main rally but insist it will be peaceful.The Thai government, meanwhile, estimates that the demonstrations will draw upto 100,000 participants.
Internal Security Operations Command spokesmanMaj General Ditthaporn Sasasamit on March 11 dismissed rumours of a militarycoup. The large presence of soldiers in Bangkok and seven surrounding provincesis deemed necessary to safeguard peace, he said.
Thailand ’s HouseSpeaker Chai Chidchob on the same day said that if agreed by parties concerned,Parliament could be the venue of talks between the government and the red shirtsto settle their political differences.
He confirmed his willingness toact as a go-between in order to pave the way for talks and voiced optimism thatthe upcoming rally would not spiral out of control./.
Speaking with the press, Thai Deputy Prime MinisterSuthep Thausuban, who is overseeing the security operation, said the deployedforces include 30,000 soldiers, 10,000 police and 10,000 civilian volunteers.
According to local media, the so-called “Red Shirt” force which supportsformer Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced it would begin demonstratingfrom March 12, which is two weeks after the kingdom's top court confiscated 1.4billion USD of Thaksin’s assets.
“If protesters intrude into army basesor police stations, the government will use armed force to crack downimmediately, as we consider them terrorists,” deputy PM Thaugsubansaid.
Checkpoints are being set up in and around Bangkok to searchprotesters for weapons as they arrive from other provinces, focusing on theirstrongholds in the rural north.
Earlier on March 9, at it weekly meeting,Thailand's cabinet decided to impose the Internal Security Act (ISA) from March11-23 to ensure law and order during the mass anti-government rally. The actallows authorities to deploy troops on the streets during the rallies and toimpose curfews and ban gatherings.
The “Red Shirt” force said they expectup to 600,000 people to attend the main rally but insist it will be peaceful.The Thai government, meanwhile, estimates that the demonstrations will draw upto 100,000 participants.
Internal Security Operations Command spokesmanMaj General Ditthaporn Sasasamit on March 11 dismissed rumours of a militarycoup. The large presence of soldiers in Bangkok and seven surrounding provincesis deemed necessary to safeguard peace, he said.
Thailand ’s HouseSpeaker Chai Chidchob on the same day said that if agreed by parties concerned,Parliament could be the venue of talks between the government and the red shirtsto settle their political differences.
He confirmed his willingness toact as a go-between in order to pave the way for talks and voiced optimism thatthe upcoming rally would not spiral out of control./.
