At 13.00 hrs., the Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) informed the press on the CAPO statement number 7, gist as follows:

The CAPO is a special body established under the 2008 Internal Security Act with a duty to maintain peace and order in all dimensions in Bangkok and its vicinity by integrating forces of the military, the police and the government agencies concerned. It has been already obvious that Mr.Suthep Thaugsuban and leaders of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) have violated the law continuously in several cases. Recently, the Office of the Attorney-General has issued prosecution orders against 51 person in various severe cases such as instigating the public to violate the law and obstructing the election.

In addition, the Office of the Attorney-General has charged Mr. Suthep and his counterparts on money laundering offence. The CAPO has instructed the Anti-Money Laundering Prevention and Suppression Office (AMLO) to proceed for an eventual seizing of the assets associated to criminal offenses by all offenders.

Mr. Suthep has been also involved with several cases such as the killing of 98 person in 2010, corruption in police stations construction, corruption in election in Surat Thani Province, and trespassing land at Khao Paeng. Mr.Suthep has used the mass to protect himself from being arrested. The CAPO condemned actions of Mr.Suthep and his associates.

Mr. Suthep and the PDRC core leaders also acted and expressed their wills that were clearly against the law, including their request for the Prime Minister and members of the cabinet to resign from their office by referring to Section 3 and 7 of the Constitution. This attempt was not practical by law. Mr. Suthep and his associates also obstructed the general election on 2 February which later on the Constitutional Court ruled out that general election was unconstitutional. The Constitutional Court has also ruled the termination of the Prime Ministership and ministership of several cabinet members as well as the National Anti-Corruption Commission has indicated there was a ground of evidence for withdrawal of Prime Minister Yingluck on the rice pledge scheme. Mr. Suthep and his associates’ demand on disqualifying Prime Minister Yingluck has been already granted.

Mr. Suthep, in his statement yesterday, attempted to request the President of the Senate, President of Supreme Court, President of the Supreme Administrative Court, President of the Constitutional Court, President of the Election Commission to select the new Prime Minister by using the Section 7 of the Constitution. The CAPO wished to inform this mean of selecting the new Prime Minister is not legitimate. According to Section 171, 172 and 173 of the Constitution, the Prime Minister has to be a member of the House of Representatives and also approved by the House. Without having the House of Representative, and having Deputy Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Bunsongphaisarn, as acting Prime Minister granted by the Administrative Charter of the Kingdom, B.E. 2534, it is unlawful to use other means to select and appoint the Prime Minister and members of Cabinet. With respect, the CAPO is intrust that president of the high courts who hold and preserve the law will not act and respond to Mr. Suthep’s wishes.

The CAPO urged Mr. Suthep and his associates to end their attempt in selecting the new Prime Minister. This attempt could also escalate the political tension and lead to violent acts among the general public.  The CAPO wished to express its regret to the general public that political situation has not improved but gradually escalated such as the invasion and occupation of the Government House and blockages of the public television stations. The CAPO needed to increase its security measures and wished to encourage the public to avoid staying close to demonstration areas.

The statement was issued under the position of the CAPO without any contribution from the military.