BANGKOK, 20 March 2014 The Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) will be increasing police checkpoints at political rally sites and important locations in Bangkok to filter against weapons and contraband, in response to the re-instating of the Internal Security Act.
CAPO director Chalerm Yubamrung asserted that security officials would not disperse protests, but would work to arrest the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) leaders who trespassed into state offices and those who obstructed the general election.
On Wednesday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Surapong Tovichakchaikul explained the lifting of the Emergency Executive Decree, and the current political situation, to ambassadors and diplomats from 60 countries and 4 international organizations. According to the minister, he hoped every country would lift their travel advisories for citizens traveling to Thailand. He also revealed he would visit China, South Korea and Japan to further clarify the situation in Thailand, after finding that tourist arrivals from these countries had declined.
Department of Special Investigation (DSI) director-general and CAPO Secretariat Tharit Phengdit, warned on Wednesday that the 57 PDRC leaders who had been accused had to, by next week, come forward in compliance with the 3rd summon. If they still failed to show up, the case documents would be forwarded to the attorney and prosecution would commence.
