Looking Ahead: Gov to retake 5 protest sites; No solution for Farmer payment; PDRC remains firm on non-negotiable term for Gov to resign.
Following information is only for business security-alert purposes and not to be treated as political viewpoints.
Bangkok Shutdown Weekly Update 17-Feb-2014
Looking Ahead: Gov to retake 5 protest sites; No solution for Farmer payment; PDRC remains firm on non-negotiable term for Gov to resign.
- The Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order will use the police to retake five rally sites occupied by People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) protesters this week and there will be no more talks since previous attempts had failed, CMPO director Chalerm Yubamrung announced on Sunday.
- Suthep, PDRC leader, is to mobilise supporters to block off Government House on Monday 17th February at 0730am.
- The GSB chief confirms a loan deal with the agricultural bank to help debt-ridden farmers, but the miniscule amount will not prevent a new rally.
- The government and the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) should each take a step backwards from the ongoing confrontation as a way of concretely solving conflicts, according to the result of a survey on the people’s opinion conducted Suan Dusit Poll.
- Thailand’s 2014 economic growth could still reach 4% if the government’s budget disbursement is fully made and domestic consumption and confidence in the country improve in the second quarter of the year, the central bank said.
Past week activities:
- Department of Special Investigation chief Tarit Pengdith said Monday that he will Tuesday announce the names of 58 firms suspected of providing financial support to the protesters.
- One of the PDRC leader Sonthiyarn Chuenruethai-naitham, owner and director of T news agency, was arrested on sedition charge Monday. The Criminal Court on Thursday rejected police’s request to extend the detention of a rally leader arrested under the state of emergency.
- The Election Commission will invite government representatives to a meeting next Monday to discuss how to complete the election as required by the Constitution, Somchai said.
- A group of rice farmers’ representatives from 20 provinces Monday walked out from a high-profile meeting with government figures, after caretaker administration came up with no solutions for long-overdue payment under the pledging scheme.
- The caretaker Cabinet Tuesday approved a draft royal decree to set the senatorial election date on March 30, Deputy Government Spokeswoman Sunisa Lertpakkawat said.
- Four Commerce Ministry officials have been issued arrest warrants by the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order for allegedly defying the emergency decree and joining anti-government protesters on the People’s Democratic Reform Committee’s stages.
- The Constitution Court on Wednesday rejected a petition filed by Pheu Thai spokesman Prompong Nopparit against People’s Democratic Reform Constitution (PDRC) leaders including Suthep Thaugsuban.
- Farmers in 24 provinces on Wednesday resolved that they will take their farm vehicles to Bangkok on Feb 19 to step up pressure on the caretaker government to pay for grain they delivered and pledged months ago under the government’s rice scheme.
- Caretaker Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul on Thursday called on other governments to condemn Thai anti-government protesters, saying they violated the rule of law.
- The government has received the Election Commission’s proposal that it issue a royal decree for new elections in 28 constituencies in the South which had no candidates in the Feb 2 polls, and has asked the Council of State for an opinion whether it could be done without legal problems, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Pongthep Thepkanchana said on Thursday.
- The Board of Trade of Thailand Thursday urged the caretaker government to “cease to tarnish the country’s business reputation and its integrity” and stop “adding insults to the injuries” that have been plaguing the economy, that can quickly falling into a stagnation if the country’s political conflicts linker on.
- The Securities and Exchange Commission will not at this time seek clarification from the two listed firms alleged to be among the 61 funders of the anti-government rallies, SEC chairman Sathit Limpongpan said on Thursday.
- The People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) is ready to end the protests if the caretaker government resigns from its post and establishes an interim government to implement national reform, according to core PDRC coleader Thaworn Senneam.
- The house of Pramon Sutivong, chairman of the Anti-Corruption Organisation of Thailand (ACT) was shot at early Saturday. No one was injured.
- Satit Wongnongtaey, a leader of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee, said police aborted the plan to crack down on protesters at the Government Complex after the monk leader there led protesters to sit down and pray.
- Four people were injured when a bomb went off at an anti-government rally site in Rayong’s Klaeng district on Friday night, police said.
- Farmers representing western provinces made their plight known to foreigners on Sunday by holding a brief rally at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
