As shutdown nears, anxiety grows

06 มกราคม 2557

As the January 13 date for the anti-government protest movement's "Bangkok shutdown" approaches, anxiety is growing over the major disruptions it could cause.

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"Bangkok Shutdown" shirts were selling very well near the Ratchadamnoen rally site yesterday, but what will happen if it actually occurs? THANARAK KHOONTON

As shutdown nears, anxiety grows

As the January 13 date for the anti-government protest movement's "Bangkok shutdown" approaches, anxiety is growing over the major disruptions it could cause.

After returning to his Ratchadamnoen base from yesterday's march last evening, People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban tried to reassure the general public that their lives would not be unduly affected.

He said only the inner parts of the capital city where government offices are located would be shut down on January 13. They include the Lat Phrao intersection, Victory Monument, Asoke intersection, Ratchaprasong intersection and Pathumwan intersection.

The government office complex at Chaeng Wattana would be besieged by PDRC protesters from Nonthaburi province to prevent officials from getting to their offices.

Public transportation systems and emergency services would be allowed to carry on normally, he said.

A shutdown of the inner city is not a minor matter, however, and caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is reportedly pushing for a new dialogue with the anti-government protest movement to avert the shutdown.

Ms Yingluck has asked the military to act as a mediator between the government and the PDRC ahead of the shutdown plan, a government source said.

An initial meeting on Saturday between Mr Suthep and several top military figures was unsuccessful, however, as the PDRC leader reiterated his demands for an interim government to push for national reforms, the source said.

Meanwhile, tensions were raised yesterday when the army announced it plans to move heavy artillery and armaments into Bangkok Monday night. The movement was in preparation for a parade marking Army Day on January 18 and should not be a cause for concern, the army said.

While the announcement was apparently intended to allay any fears of a military coup, red-shirt leaders quickly claimed that movement of arms and the Bangkok shutdown were both part of coup preparations.

In today's editorial, The Bangkok Post takes a dim view of Mr Suthep's shutdown plan, saying it goes well beyond a commendable push for political reform.

"For more than two months, Suthep Thaugsuban has directed a successful people's protest. He has shown the country a powerful opposition, forced the government to resign and put much-needed political reform on the front burner.

But his plan to "shut down Bangkok" next week is a step too far. It puts his great mass uprising on a dangerous trail that risks fringe violence, harms ordinary people and once again punctures the country's image.

If Mr Suthep actually implements his blockade of inner Bangkok next week, it will be illegal, dangerous and actually harmful to millions – a vast majority of his fellow citizens."

The praise for Mr Suthep's "successful" protest will anger government supporters and the condemnation of the shutdown offensive will infuriate his followers, but many people in the middle probably agree that Bangkok should remain open.

Adapted from stories in today's Bangkok Post.