BANGKOK, March 7 – The army has adjusted military bunkers built near tourist attractions in the capital to make them look softer and blend in with the environment, an army spokesman said on Friday.
Army spokesman Winthai Suvari said the adjustment was in line with the instruction of caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra who is also concurrently caretaker defence minister.
Ms Yingluck earlier asked the army to adjust the bunkers for fear that they might scare away tourists and hurting the country’s image.
To protect the protesters, the army put up 176 military bunkers and checkpoints in the capital following frequent attacks near and at rally sites of the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC).
Casualties from the political protests in Bangkok since the Ramkhamhaeng University clash on November 30 has reached 20 deaths, with 728 injuries, while 15 persons remain hospitalised.
Recently the protesters have relocated their rally sites and converged at the only one location at Lumpini Park.
Col Winthai assured the public that the bunkers would not cause any trouble for them.
Soldiers at one such emplacement told a Thai News Agency reporter that they had placed some flower pots to decorate their bunker for some time and shortly afterwards Bangkokians began bringing some more.
