P.Thai, PAD against use of ISA

via CAAI

Published: 8/02/2011

The opposition Puea Thai Party and the People's Alliance for Democracy on Monday both voiced opposition to the likely use of the Internal Security Act from Feb 9-23 in selected areas of the capital during protests by the PAD's yellow-shirts and the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).

The police proposal is being discussed by the cabinet meeting today

Puea Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit said the ISA, once imposed, would caused problems for both the yellow-shirts and the red-shirts.

"This could lead to the imposition of the emergency decree if there is a loss of lives while government forces move to take back an area occupied by the protesters.

This is not the right way of solving the problem. The protest can be kept under control with ordinary laws," he said.

Prapan Khoonmee and Panthep Puapongpan of the PAD said if the cabinet today decides to impose the ISA in certain areas the PAD's legal team would petition the Administrative Court to order the government to revoke the order.

The PAD would also file a lawsuit against the entire cabinet because it is the people's right under the constitution to hold a public gathering, Mr Prapan said.

The PAD plans to hold a mass rally on Friday to demand the government's resignation over its handling of the border dispute with Cambodia.

Mr Prapan also called on the government to use military force to destroy the Cambodian operations base at Preah Vihear temple. The government should take the offensive in handling the border dispute, he said.

He said the PAD protesters would not march to another location on Feb 11, to avoid causing inconvenience to the public.

The PAD would instead send representatives to visit the people affected by the border clashes and the soldiers deployed along the border with Cambodia, Mr Prapan said.