BANGKOK, May 30 — The People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), Thailand’ yellow shirt movement, began a mass gathering at the Royal Plaza Wednesday afternoon to protest the proposed reconciliation bill.
PAD core leader retired Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang led the yellow shirt supporters to oppose the proposed reconciliation bill which was set to be deliberated in the House of Representatives today amid tight security.
Earlier, PAD spokesman Panthep Puapongpan announced that today’s rally will be conducted peacefully within the legal limits, saying that untoward violence or confrontation, if any, could be due to provocation.
The Yellow Shirt key leaders were scheduled be on the rally stage at the Royal Plaza to address the crowd this afternoon.
However, the exact time when the scheduled rally in front of Parliament will start was not set, Mr Panthep said, explaining that the key leaders needed to assess the overall situation.
Meanwhile, Pol Maj Gen Wichai Sangpraphai, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau said 1,240 metropolitan police, anti-riot and crowd-control officers have been deployed to provide security and maintain law and order at the protest sites around the Royal Plaza, Parliament and the surrounding area.
Gen Wichai also asked some red shirt supporters showing up in support of the reconciliation bill to leave the Parliament compound as a precautionary measure.
Currently, U-Thong Nai Road in front of Parliament is closed, with barriers placed along the road.
