Thai security forces ordered to operate in same direction

BANGKOK, May 27 (TNA) - Thai security officers, including soldiers and police, must operate in the same direction and speed up eradicating war weapons and arresting targeted figures who refuse to report themselves to the army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) as ordered. Lieutenant General Teerachai Nakwanich, Commanding General of the First Army Area Command, in his capacity as the commander of the country's peace keeping force, made the order at a meeting of security authorities concerned of all level in Bangkok on Tuesday, based on the NCPO's 2nd announcement. Besides, the security authorities at all levels were also instructed to continually control all kinds of media to prevent them from instigating unrest, or inducing any mass rally or conducting any act considered insulting the revered Thai monarchy. The first army area commander also ordered the security authorities to carry out stricter surveillance against weapons and explosives, while blocking any attempt to stage a mass rally in Bangkok by people traveling from provincial areas. The first army area commander instructed the security authorities to urgently track down illegal armed forces as well, as they could affect national stability and public security. According to the commander of the national peace keeping force, all those ordered to report themselves to the coup council have been lawfully treated equally with full facilitations and will be soon released if they agree to comply with the NCPO's rules, but those who breach the NCPO's orders or attempt to cause a rift in the society will face a decisive act from the coup council. Meanwhile, security forces have continued searching and confiscating weapons of political demonstrators, in the wake of the May 22 coup, while the office of the red-clad United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), aligned with the former Pheu Thai Party-led government, in Bangkok's Lat Phrao area remains closed. (TNA)