The news comes as an arch royalist, Major General Rienthong Nanna, in a chilling Facebook post, warned that Bangkok was being surrounded by pro royalist forces and that everyone involved in the protest faced arrest as well as every supporter.
There were growing fears on Wednesday night and early on Thursday morning that security officials and the establishment are preparing to crack down on the protest in central Bangkok which left protesters surrounding the seat of government in the country which was evacuated on Wednesday.
There were ominous signs late on Wednesday night and into Thursday morning that a crackdown may be in the works following the protest on Wednesday, October 14th which left Government House evacuated and surrounded by the mob calling itself the People’s Party or Khana Ratsadorn.
Protesters near Ratchadamnoen Nok Road, adjacent to the site of Wednesday’s march, later in the evening confronted military units installing barbed wire near an army building in the vicinity while the government announced that Government House would not be opening on Thursday.
Ministry treating yesterday’s events as ‘unrest’ and an attempt to undermine a legitimate government
Then, later, on Wednesday night, the Thai Prime Minister gave a statement in which he said that Wednesday’s protest was being regarded by the government as unrest and an attempt to undermine the legitimate government of the country as well as peace and order.
He then went on to say that he had given strict orders to the police and security services to enforce the law and, under no circumstances, were officers to refrain from doing their duty.
He particularly announced that any disrespect or actions causing offence to the Thai monarchy would not be tolerated.
Parents warned to get their children out
The PM’s announcement was made through his spokesman, Anucha Buraphachaisri, who also told the media that General Prayut was appealing to parents and guardians of loved ones, particularly the young, to make sure that their offspring were not involved in the ongoing protest activity surrounding Government House.
He said that the situation there was not safe and could become dangerous.
Chilling message from arch royalist who warned on Wednesday night that every protester faced arrest
The announcement from the PM came, at the same time, as an arch royalist, known for his fiery and implacable rhetoric, posted a chilling message on Facebook.
Major General Rienthong Nanna, called for forces to be ready to surround Bangkok and ‘take out the waste’ following events in the capital on Wednesday.
He warned that everyone involved in the protest will be arrested and every person behind that person also.
The arch royalist is known for his hardline and uncompromising talk against those who may oppose the monarchy and it is not clear what the basis for his latest remarks is.
In July, Major General Rienna, now a hospital director, called for photos of all those at anti-government rallies to be sent to him so that he could identify those involved and place them on an employment blacklist.
Police lay down the law and indicate that decisive action may be imminent if protesters do not comply with legal orders already given to disperse
Police, early on Thursday morning, gave a press conference and let it be known that the mob at Government House had been warned to vacate the property and its vicinity by 10 pm on Wednesday.
Lieutenant Colonel Kritsana Phattanacharoen has indicated that decisive action will be taken against those who continue to ignore the police to disperse from the scene.
He repeated that the protest has been terminated by police order and while the Royal Thai Police had been, on Wednesday, open to negotiation, the law must now be enforced and upheld.
The police said that an order to act decisively against the mob will be made at a superior level in due course. He said that the problem for police officers now was that the mob was resisting instructions according to the law and that situation could not be allowed to continue.
He indicated that all those involved in the protest, particularly repeat offenders, will be prosecuted and face the full rigour of the law in due course.
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Further reading:
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