PIROMYA : THAI GOVT VERY MUCH IN CONTROL

KUALA LUMPUR, May 5 (Bernama) -- The Thai Government is very much in control
of the situation in Bangkok which has been deluged by demonstrations by
anti-government protesters, said Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya.

"I just want to re-affirm and ensure everyone that we (government) are very
much in charge and are upholding the rule of law," he told a press conference in
conjunction with his two-day working visit here Tuesday.

Piromya said in view of the current crisis in the country, the Thai
government welcomed the participation of stakeholders from various sectors of
its society to move the country out of its predicament and move forward.

"The fact that seemingly, we are not in control of the situation may be due
to the fact that we have not been using (our) security forces to disperse the
protesters, some of whom are known to be armed.

"This is because, they (protesters) are fellow Thai citizens and I think the
avoidance of the use of arms to disperse them has all along been the policy
measure of the government.

"Last Sunday, at a special cabinet meeting in Bangkok, the decision of the
cabinet was to authorise the armed forces to use force if necessary, but that
would be, I think, only as a last resort.

"At the same time, we keep on talking to the protesters and try to weed out
or separate the genuine protesters with genuine grievances from the hardcore and
armed ones.

"Meanwhile, our special judicial unit under the coordination and operation
of the department of special investigations is looking into cases where national
security or the institution of the monarchy is being undermined.

"This has to do with the use of arms to bring down a legitimate government
and a political regime under constitutional monarchy," he said.

On May 2, Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had announced that a
new election would be held on Nov 14 and that Parliament would be dissolved
within the next six months.

In connection with this, Piromya made the visit to Malaysia to explain about
the actual political situation now in Thailand and to enhance understanding of
developments in the country.

Heading a delegation of six people, he will also visit the National Security
Council office tomorrow morning, followed by visits to Wisma Putra (Malaysia's
Foreign Ministry) and the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency's headquarters.

-- BERNAMA



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