Arrest us if you dare, they say to police
POST REPORTERS
Leaders of the anti-coup rallies yesterday shrugged off the arrest warrants issued for them and challenged police to capture them to face charges of engineering Sunday's protest at Si Sao Thewes, which culminated in violence.
The demonstration by about 4,000 people in front of Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda's residence was aborted shortly after midnight, after 200 riot police and 30 demonstrators suffered injuries, according to police and the Public Health Ministry.
Protesters from the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), formerly known as the Democracy Alliance Against Dictatorship, regrouped yesterday at their stronghold at Sanam Luang, drawing 6,000 members to voice their opposition to the police action.
Eight of them face arrest warrants on several counts, including illegal assembly, anti-government movements, defying police orders and attacking police, damaging property and shouting insults.
The alliance will counter the police by showing evidence today that police hurt the demonstrators.
Viputhalaeng Pattanaphumthai, one of the police targets to be arrested, used the rally at Sanam Luang to challenge authorities to arrest him and his colleagues so they could take the opportunity to file a counter-complaint against the Sept 19 coup-makers.
Another target, Nattawut Saikua, expressed his readiness to fight for justice in court instead of seeking bail.
Weng Tojirakarn and Jakrapob Penkair vowed to continue with daily rallies at Sanam Luang and campaigns in other provinces to oust Gen Prem and the Council for National Security (CNS).
The UDD considers Gen Prem a key figure behind the coup, which ended the premiership of Thaksin Shinawatra.
The clashes prompted CNS chairman and army chief Gen Sonthi Boonyaratkalin to apologise to Gen Prem and to warn his opponents that the patience of the armed forces was wearing thin.
The armed forces were ready to take action if the general public felt they had had enough of the unrest, he said.
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont held talks with acting national police chief Pol Gen Seripisuth Temiyavej for half an hour at Government House to discuss the situation yesterday.
Gen Surayud admitted his concern over Sunday's clashes but indicated his desire to end the political conflict with the UDD through talks. The government will try to convince key protesters to act within the rule of law, he said.
''I don't know whether the political situation will get worse or not,'' he told reporters, but said that he was still not thinking of declaring a state of emergency to control the situation.
Pol Gen Seripisuth, however, took a tough stance on the demonstrators in the wake of Sunday's clashes.
He has ordered every possible charge against all rally leaders and their supporters who attacked police. He also warned future rally-goers not to leave Sanam Luang or else face harsh measures from police.
Police were seeking arrest warrants for the eight leaders and other supporters who were caught on tape in their acts on Sunday, Pol Gen Seripisuth said.
''We cannot let them cause unrest. I have always tried to be patient but what happened on Sunday was too much,'' he said. ''Police tried not to have problems with people but they did not listen. From now on, we'll act by the law. I'll do my duty,'' he added.
Pol Gen Seripisuth defended the police decision to use force to stop the protest in front of Gen Prem's residence because protesters attacked police first.
On Sunday night, police arrested six suspects from the clashes.
They were Noparuj Worachitwuthikul, 36, a leader of the White Dove 2006 group, Banthong Nopakham, 40, Veerayut Seniwong na Ayutthaya, 44, Saravoot Longseng, 26, Veerasak Hempurin, 59, and Wanchai Nabuddha, 40.
They were being detained at Thung Song Hong and Bang Khen police stations and police refused to release them on bail. They were initially charged with illegal assembly and resisting arrest, and attacking police.
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