Bangkok ratchets up pressure on protesters
Source: Agencies |
May 13, 2010, Thursday
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THE Thai government turned to siege tactics yesterday after fruitless efforts to compromise with demonstrators barricaded in central Bangkok, announcing that the army would limit supplies of water, food and electricity to the protest zone.
Although army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said security forces would "not use force at this stage," sealing the area risks confrontation with the thousands of so-called Red Shirt protesters who have camped there for two months and could spark violence if they refuse to disperse. Some 29 people have died and another 1,400 have been injured in clashes so far.
"This is a full-scale measure to limit the freedom of protesters and to close down the area 100 percent," Sansern said yesterday, although he later indicated that not everything might be in place by midnight as planned. Also, authorities wanted to cause minimum impact on people living and working in the area, he said.
With the government's tougher tone, chances of a negotiated settlement appeared to be unraveling, just days after the two sides had agreed in principle to a reconciliation plan. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's spokesman said the government's offer to hold November elections - one year before his term expires - was now off the table as the protesters had refused to budge.
The new measures to squeeze the protesters include cutting water, electricity and mobile phone signals to the protest zone and stopping bus, commuter rail and boat services to the area, Sansern said, adding that authorities would also "seal off entrances to the area."
Protest leaders brushed off the threat.
"Firstly, we are using our own electricity generators, so we are not dependent on the public power source," said a protest leader Jatuporn Prompan. "Secondly, if the government decides to cut water... this will also effect half of the city. So, we do not care about the government's threat."
Although army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said security forces would "not use force at this stage," sealing the area risks confrontation with the thousands of so-called Red Shirt protesters who have camped there for two months and could spark violence if they refuse to disperse. Some 29 people have died and another 1,400 have been injured in clashes so far.
"This is a full-scale measure to limit the freedom of protesters and to close down the area 100 percent," Sansern said yesterday, although he later indicated that not everything might be in place by midnight as planned. Also, authorities wanted to cause minimum impact on people living and working in the area, he said.
With the government's tougher tone, chances of a negotiated settlement appeared to be unraveling, just days after the two sides had agreed in principle to a reconciliation plan. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's spokesman said the government's offer to hold November elections - one year before his term expires - was now off the table as the protesters had refused to budge.
The new measures to squeeze the protesters include cutting water, electricity and mobile phone signals to the protest zone and stopping bus, commuter rail and boat services to the area, Sansern said, adding that authorities would also "seal off entrances to the area."
Protest leaders brushed off the threat.
"Firstly, we are using our own electricity generators, so we are not dependent on the public power source," said a protest leader Jatuporn Prompan. "Secondly, if the government decides to cut water... this will also effect half of the city. So, we do not care about the government's threat."
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