Thailand deployed thousands of riot police in Bangkok on February 14 to reclaim government headquarters and other areas occupied by anti-Government protesters.
The authorities plan to re-take several sites including Government House and the interior ministry, said National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabut, adding that the officials will try to negotiate with the demonstrators first.
According to him, the security force will re-take wherever they can and arrest protest leaders. "It's not a crackdown on the protests - it's enforcement of the law over the protest sites”, he said.
Meanwhile, riot police removed protesters' tents and warned demonstrators not to resist the operation. There have so far been no reports of clashes.
The operation appeared to be focused on the government district rather than major intersections and commercial centres where demonstrators gathered during the "Bangkok shutdown" that has lasted for three months, leaving 11 dead and hundreds injured.-VNA
The authorities plan to re-take several sites including Government House and the interior ministry, said National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabut, adding that the officials will try to negotiate with the demonstrators first.
According to him, the security force will re-take wherever they can and arrest protest leaders. "It's not a crackdown on the protests - it's enforcement of the law over the protest sites”, he said.
Meanwhile, riot police removed protesters' tents and warned demonstrators not to resist the operation. There have so far been no reports of clashes.
The operation appeared to be focused on the government district rather than major intersections and commercial centres where demonstrators gathered during the "Bangkok shutdown" that has lasted for three months, leaving 11 dead and hundreds injured.-VNA
