Thailand is one country, PM insists

04 มีนาคม 2557

Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has insisted her government does not support any move to separate the country as alleged by anti-government groups.

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Police remove a large red banner reading "This country has no justice. I demand Lanna Republic" that was hung on a pedestrian bridge in Phitsanulok province late last month. CHINNAWAT SINGHA

PM insists govt doesn't back separatism

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Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has insisted her government does not support any move to separate the country as alleged by anti-government groups.

Ms Yingluck made the comment as the army yesterday filed a complaint with police against a red-shirt group in Chiang Mai accusing it of separatism.

This followed the instructions of army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha that the 3rd Army should pursue legal action against any people suspected of seeking to divide the country and form a new state.

The prime minister said the government does not support separatism, and insisted that the country must remain one and indivisible.

Asked whether red shirts would be warned against attempting to partition the country if they were found to be involved in separatist movements, the prime minister said the authorities would investigate the matter.

She said if the alleged separatist movement exists, it may comprise more than one group.

"We want to see Thailand as one and indivisible. We must warn any groups that violate the law and then let the judicial process take its course, Ms Yingluck said.

Col Phokha Jokloy, chief of the Information Division of the 33rd Army District, yesterday filed a complaint with Mae Ping police station in Chiang Mai, accusing Phetchawat Wattanapongsirikul, a core member of the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group, of separatism and insurrection under sections 113 and 114 of the Criminal Code.

Mr Phetchawat was accused of separatism in connection with the group putting up a banner on a pedestrian bridge at Don Chan intersection in Chiang Mai.

The cloth banner read: "This country has no justice, we want to separate as Lanna country," Col Phokha said.

Moreover, he said, during the group's rallies, red shirts wore a headband bearing the abbreviation "Sor Por Por Lanna".

Sor Por Por Lanna is believed by some to stand for the People's Democratic Republic of Lanna.

Col Phokha's complaint was accompanied by pictures of the group's activities, including the cloth banner. Col Phokha filed the same complaint with Muang Chiang Mai district police.

In Thai, the abbreviation Sor Por Por is identical to the abbreviation for People's Democratic Republic. However, Sor Por Por is also used as the abbreviation for the Assembly for the Defence of Democracy (AFDD), established by more than 150 academics.

Royal Thai Police spokesman Piya Uthayo also said three similar complaints against the suspected separatist movement were also filed with Muang Chiang Rai district police and Mae Lao district police at Chiang Rai and Muang Phayao police stations.

The AFDD yesterday issued a statement on Facebook, explaining that Sor Por Por Lanna actually stands for the Lanna Assembly for the Defence of Democracy which involves a network of scholars.

The academics said it does not refer to the "Lanna People's Democratic Republic", as alleged.