BANGKOK, 9 November 2013 Demonstrators at Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge refused to relocate their protest site on Friday in spite of police’s efforts to negotiate for them to relocate so that they won’t violate the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Deputy Metropolitan Police Commissioner Adul Narongsak met with protest leader Nitithon Lamluea on Friday afternoon, to ask him to lead the demonstrators away from the Makkhawan Rangsan area because their gathering at the spot was in violation of the ISA. However, Mr. Nitithon rejected the request, saying that the protesters were in a peaceful assembly and were free of weapons. He added that he was ready to fight in court if he was prosecuted.
Police General Adul Saengsingkaew, commissioner of the national police, indicated on Friday that all demonstrations in the capital city were going on peacefully. However, officials were concerned over attempts by third parties to create trouble, and thus he had told police to set up numerous checkpoints to inspect people headed for the protest sites to make sure they were not carrying arms.
Meanwhile, the Democrat Party-led demonstration remained at Democracy Monument in Bangkok on Friday, with protest leaders declaring they would not call off their rally. According to Democrat Party core figure Suthep Theuksuban, the protest leaders will evaluate the circumstances on Monday, when the Senate is expected to vote down the amnesty bill, before determining whether the group will scale up their rallies.
