Emergency decree won't stop us, says Suthep (updated)
Anti-government rally leader Suthep Thuagsuban says if it's forbidden they'll do it. That includes marching, seizing buildings and using loudspeakers.
Anti-government rally leader Suthep Thuagsuban says if it's forbidden they'll do it. That includes marching, seizing buildings and using loudspeakers.
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What, if any effect, will the emergency decree have on the enthusiastic support PDRC rally leader Suthep Thuagsuban has been receiving on his almost daily marches? THITI WANNAMONTHA
Updates
17:30
Caretaker Labour Minister Chalerm Yubamrung's official car was seen at the ministry, but protesters were told he wasn't there. Post Today photo.
Another person the PDRC protesters wanted very much to "visit" today was caretaker Labour Minister Chalerm Yubamrung and a large group completely surrounded the Labour Ministry. Mr Chalerm, of course, was appointed yesterday to oversee the the Centre for Peacekeeping which was set up under the state of emergency.
Mr Chalerm's official car was seen inside the ministry compound, but Police Major General Thitirat Nongharnpitak, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police, told the protesters that he wasn't there. The protesters did not try to enter the ministry.
16:40
NSPRT remove the complete sign outside National Police Headquarters in protest against the emergency decree. APICHART JINAKUL
In another highly symbolic action against the emergency decree, protesters under the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand (NSPRT) on Wednesday morning defaced the building name sign of the Royal Thai Police headquarters on Rama 1 Road.
Around NSPRT 500 protesters began marching from their base at Chamai Maruchet Bridge to the national police office shortly before 11am this morning. Uthai Yodmanee, the group’s leader, demanded national police chief Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew report to protesters and told officers to pack up their belongings and leave the building within one hour.
Mr Uthai also criticised Pol Gen Adul for his role as the deputy chief of the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order and told protesters to remove the word “national” from the sign.
He later told them to remove all of the sign's letters after noticing they were being filmed. Once the protesters had finished all Thai and English wording had been removed from the sign and replaced with a spray-paint abbreviation of the group’s name.
12:18
PDRC core leader Putthipong Punnakan explains the purpose of today's "visit," to military officials outside the Office of the Defence Permanent Secretary at Muang Thong Thani. CHANAT KATANYU.
One of the announced purposes of the visit of course was to follow the footsteps of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and she did, indeed, come to work there this morning. She later left by a back door, successfully avoiding a confrontation. CHANAT KATANYU.
Protesters defy emergency decree and march to temporary government headquarters.
(From our online reporters) Protesters from the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) Ratchaprasong rally site have blocked the road in front of the Office of the Defence Permanent Secretary at Muang Thong Thani, reports said.
A group directed by protest leaders Putthipong Punnakan and Chumpol Julasai left Ratchaprasong intersection in a convoy of pickup trucks and mini-buses. Latest: Thai PBS has just shown another group from the Lat Prao rally site getting ready to reinforce the group already in Muang Thong Thani.
The government has been using the Office of the Defence Permanent Secretary as its temporary premises since the beginning of the PDRC's Bangkok Shutdown campaign.
An emergency decree invoked by the caretaker government came into force today.
Suthep scoffs at decree
No let-up in protests, PDRC leader insists
Patsara Jikkham
Wassana Nanuam
Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban on Tuesday night scoffed at the invocation of the emergency decree in Bangkok and surrounding provinces.
He said his supporters are not afraid and the rallies will continue.
"Is there anything that is an emergency in this country?" he said. "We have been protesting for three months already. Why declare an emergency now?"
Addressing the crowd at the Pathumwan stage on Tuesday night following the decision by the caretaker government to invoke a state of emergency, the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) chief vowed to defy all orders issued under the emergency decree.
"We will defy them all," he said. "We will march on every road they have banned [us from marching on]. We will use loudspeakers even if they prohibit us from doing so. We will do everything they forbid us to do."
Previous attempts by the government to impose the emergency decree were blocked by the military. However, Tuesday's decision followed a wave of violent attacks on protesters as their Bangkok shutdown operation entered a second week.
The special law will be in place for 60 days, effective on Wednesday, with caretaker Labour Minister Chalerm Yubamrung taking charge of the Centre for Peacekeeping. The centre can directly order the army to step up security.
A military source said the armed forces voiced no objection when the enforcement of the emergency decree was raised at the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order meeting.
According to the source, the military understands that the police force needs a tool to help it strictly enforce the law. The decree allows for the detention of suspects for up to 30 days and stricter control of media outlets.
Moreover, military intelligence also found weapons and explosives are being moved into Bangkok.
"The military is aware that the protesters do not trust the police so the police need the military to help coordinate," said the source.
According to the source, even though army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha and Supreme Commander Tanasak Patimapragorn did not attend the meeting, they had talked separately to caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Giving money to support the Bangkok shutdown is now technically illegal. THITI WANNAMONTHA
However, the source said the military insists it will not crack down on or confront protesters.
Before the decision was reached, National Security Council secretary-general Paradorn Pattanatabut hinted the emergency law would be necessary after a grenade attack at Victory Monument on Sunday injured 28 people.
Security authorities believed violence would escalate ahead of advance voting on Sunday and the Feb 2 election.
In announcing the enforcement of the state of emergency, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said the decree was to help security authorities enforce the laws against offenders and those who provide support to the anti-government protest.
The enforcement of the emergency decree will also "allow the democratic process to move forward", he said. Mr Surapong added that false information aimed at provoking divisiveness was also being widely spread.
He insisted the government would strictly comply with international practices and would not use force to break up the protest.
But protesters saw the decree as a prelude to a crackdown on them.
"Since we are unarmed, the violence must have come from the government." Mr Suthep said.
"We will step up our rallies to counter the emergency decree," he said.
Mr Suthep told protesters at the seven stages to proceed with the operation to lay siege to state agencies. However, the protesters should realise that the emergency decree empowers state authorities to detain and take legal action against lawbreakers.
"So, if any of you are afraid of being arrested, you should go home," he said.
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