The organizing committee of the “Wing Lai Loong” (Run against Dictatorship) event, scheduled for this Sunday at the Rodfai (Railway) park, has invited Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and cabinet ministers to participate.
Some members of the committee visited Government House on Tuesday morning to deliver their invitation letter, which was received by Mr. Sompass Nilaphan, an advisor to the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office.
Government sources say, however, that it is highly unlikely that any cabinet member will join the event, which is considered to be politically motivated.
Palang Pracharat party’s deputy spokesperson Ms. Thipanan Sirichana questioned whether the event organizers want to use the event as a pretext to cause public unrest.
She pointed out that the organizers completely lack transparency about the event, ranging from the purpose, the distance, its route and security to what the proceeds collected from the event participants will be used for.
The organizers claim they are holding the event to demand constitutional amendments and that the government address economic problems.
“There are five days left before the event, they are still recruiting volunteers,” said Ms. Thipanan, adding that the event is not meant as sport or for health promotion.
She asked potential participants to think twice before joining the event, to avoid being used as political pawns.
Similar events have been planned in several provinces, but a number of them have been cancelled after police intervention.
