29 January 2014

At 13.00 hrs., Tharit Pengdit, Director-General, Department of Special Investigation (DSI), briefed the press on the outcome of the CMPO’s meeting, held earlier today.

First, CMPO agreed to form a negotiation team, comprising of Assistance Police Commissioner as a team's leader, representatives from arm forces, and Election Commission. The main objectives are twofold: to ensure that the election on 2 February will be conducted in peaceful manner; and to reopen the government offices, in order to restore the functioning of government agencies to provide public services. The first negotiation will take place on 31 January.

Second, CMPO will arrange security personals to facilitate and secure the polling stations.

Third, the Royal Thai Police (RTC), Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMCO), the Revenue Department and DSI will work cooperatively to proceed on litigation of any group who finances the protesters

Fourth, in responding to the decision by the criminal court yesterday that rejected DSI’s request to obtain arrest warrants for 16 core members of the PDRC for alleged violations of the emergency decree, CMPO will collect more evidences and present to the RTC and DSI, and request metropolitan police to proceed with the case.

Fifth, as many reports of wrong doing engaged by non-Thai citizens, CMPO would task the immigration office to proceed on this matters.

Director-General Tharit also expressed his concern on the possible movement of people from the Southern part of Thailand to block election in Bangkok metropolitan area.

28 January 2014

Caretaker Labor Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, Director of the Center for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO), gave an interview to the press that he had asked for additional support from the Police Forces in Region 3, 4 and 5 on election day. He said that he would continue to exercise restraint and be abided by the rule of law. He also expressed his confidence to maintain the CMPO’s operation despite the People’s Democratic Reform Committee’s threat to besiege the CMPO’s office today. 

27 January 2014

Caretaker Labor Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, Director of the Center for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO), issued an ultimatum to the protesters to halt their siege of government offices and return to their rally sites within 72 hours, otherwise they would be arrested. He also said that assault units would be set up to arrest those violating the emergency decree and illegally blocking the work of government officials/intruding into government offices. He stressed that the CMPO would not yet seek help from the armed forces to launch the crackdowns.

Mr. Tharit Pengdit, Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation, as Member of the CMPO’s Committee, made an announcement on TV Pool that the CMPO has prepared necessary measures in case the protesters of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) would not quit their besiegement of government offices. 

He pledged that the CMPO would carry out all means necessary to resume normal government services on 3 February 2014.  He also said that the CMPO had issued 4 Announcements to help people who have been affected by the demonstrations, to ask the private sector to help those in need, to warn the private sector not to support leaders of the PDRC, and to ask for cooperation from the media not to present distorted reports. He also stressed that the CMPO had never summoned actors and singers (who were active at the protest sites) for interrogation.

Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, during his media briefing, said that the PDRC’s blocking of polling stations violated the people’s right to vote.  He said that Spokesperson of the US State Department had issued a press statement that preventing citizens from voting violates their universal rights and is inconsistent with democratic values.  The US, he added, has called for all sides to refrain from violence, exercise restraint, and commit to sincere dialogue to resolve political differences peacefully and democratically.