Peaceful rallies allowed for electoral demonstrators

BANGKOK, May 4 (TNA) - The Thai army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) will allow peaceful rallies in Bangkok this weekend, joined by people who call for a new general election in the country, but security officers will closely monitor the situation to maintain public order. An NCPO spokesman, Major General Piyapong Klingpan, told journalists of the policy on May 3, in response to reports on the planned rallies at Thammasat University (TU), the Tha Pra Chan Campus, by students, lecturers and the general public on May 5. The spokesman stated that the NCPO has been initially reported that the demonstration will be confined in the compound of the TU Tha Pra Chan Campus, but security authorities have been prepared to take appropriate measures to cope with the situation, including those on preventing or relieving impacts on the public in case that demonstrators march out of the campus. The spokesman said that security forces on duty will mostly be police who will enforce normal laws to maintain public peace and order during this weekend's rallies. The spokesman admitted that the security authorities are concerned over any untoward incident caused by a third party, especially during the night-time, vowing that security forces will take care of the situation and people until the demonstration ends. According to the spokesman, Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha, who is also the NCPO chief, has assigned Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who oversees national security, to work together with relevant agencies to closely monitor public rallies, if any, in which no violent action by security officers is allowed but public peace and order are to be maintained. (TNA)