Wednesday, 19 January 2011

TPN protesters refuse to open road


via CAAI

Published: 19/01/2011
Protesting supporters of the Thai Patriots Network on Wednesday morning rejected a police request to open Phitsanulok Road, in front of Government House, to traffic.

Pol Maj-Gen Kreerin Inkaew, deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, and Pol Maj-Gen Wichai Sangprapai, Metropolitan Police Division 1 commander, tried to negotiate with Samana Phothirak, leader of the Santi Asoke sect for the protesters to open Phitsanulok Road, but to no avail.

Sunthorn Rakrong, a TPN core member, announced afterwards that the protesters would not open the road because they expected more people to come from other provinces to join them and wanted the space for them.

He read out a statement, saying that the TPN would continue to rally against the government because it had mishandled problems with Cambodia.

The statement also denounced police for the arrest of Chaiwat Sinsuwong and Somboon Thongburan, saying they had overreacted.

As a result, part of Phitsanulok Road from Panichayakarn and Suan Misakawan intersection remains closed.

Crime Suppression Division police took Mr Chaiwat and Mr Somboon to the Criminal Court on Wednesday morning, seeking permission to detain the two for 12 days from Jan 19-30.

The CSD police told the court they would have no objection if the two seek release on bail, on the condition that they must not take part in a political gathering or other political activities in violation of the constitution or spead information or give interviews that could obstruct police investigations and gathering of evidence.

Mr Chaiwat and Mr Somboon, insisted that they would not request bail. They instead filed a petition opposing the police request to extend their detention for 12 days, arguing that they had been falsely charged in connection with the occupation of Bangkok's two airports in 2008.

The court was still considering the matter.

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