THE United Front of Thammasat and Demonstration announced at around noon today (Oct. 17) that all its followers should get ready to protest all train stations at 3 p.m., TV Channel 7 reported.
The group’s latest statement also mentioned that if trains stop running before the appointed hour, participants are to adhere to the concept that all train stations are “places of assembly.”
Earlier in the morning the People’s Party announced the changing of its name to just The People and called another demonstration at 4 p.m. today while Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha underscored that the security forces are upholding international crowd-control procedures, Thai Rath newspaper and Sanook.com reported.
Mr. Anucha Buraphachaisri, a spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office, said Gen. Prayut thanked all groups, including protesters who had cooperated with the officials, in helping end yesterday’s demonstration.
He added that police officers used international equipment and employed global crowd-control procedures in ending yesterday’s protest.
The dyed water used to dissolve the mob is not dangerous and is intended to identify them, he mentioned.
Gen. Prayut also said that despite the government having declared a serious emergency in Bangkok yesterday, the protesters still continued with their rally and this necessitated appropriate action to enforce the law.
Meanwhile The Free Youth Facebook page this morning published a statement from the People’s Party that the dissolution of yesterday’s protest shows the government and the military had now fully become enemies of the people while confirming another rally at 4 p.m. today.
They confirmed upholding their ideology and condemned all acts of violence against the people and all those involved both directly and indirectly.
The statement added that everyone involved is a leader and the term party has been dropped with the group to be called The People.
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Top: The statement issued by The People group overlays a scene of confrontation between protesters and the police last evening. Photo: Thai Rath
