Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said today that there is no need for a special law, to deal with the ongoing protests, which, he admitted, have impacted the country’s stability and foreign investor confidence in the country.
He noted, however, that there is a need to enforce laws strictly, in the wake of escalating violence associated with the protests.
The prime minister held a closed door meeting today, with the national police chief and other senior police officers, to discuss measures to ensure safety and fairness for all protest groups, as anti-establishment Khana Ratsadon plans to stage a mass rally at Ratchaprasong intersection this evening.
Regarding the protesters’ repeated demands for his resignation, the prime minister insisted that he is not a party to the ongoing political conflict, adding that he has to look at the protesters’ demands from several angles.
He went on to say that he wishes that the protesters would take into consideration the negative impacts of their actions on the country’s stability and foreign investor confidence, stressing that this is not the right time for protests.
Meanwhile, police have warned protesters not to attempt to break into the walled compound of the Royal Thai Police (RTP) headquarters, near the Ratchaprasong intersection, or they will face a decisive response.
Pol Maj-Gen Yingyos Thepchamnong, the RTP’s spokesman, said that protesters could enter the RTP compound for negotiations only. He also warned the protesters not to cause any damage to government property, including barriers, or face legal action.
“This is not a war against an enemy,” said the spokesman, adding that the barriers and other crowd control equipment are intended to prevent protesters from breaking into the RTP’s HQ compound.
