PAD gives government 7 days to act against UDD protesters

BANGKOK, April 18  - The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) had given the government seven days to take action against the terrorist movement that infiltrated among the anti-government 'Red Shirt' United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protesters currently demonstrating at Ratchaprasong intersection, warning that if the Abhisit government does not act, they will themselves carry out what they term as the citizen's duty to protect the nation and the monarchy, according to a PAD statement issued on Sunday.
 
Phiphop Thongchai, a key PAD leader, read the statement after a PAD meeting at Rangsit University to discuss how to end the political crisis.

The PAD Yellow Shirts condemned the terrorist movement saying they believed it belonged to "the Thaksin regime" which aimed to instigate violence in the country.

The People's Alliance urged the government to strictly and effectively enforce the law to deal with the terrorists, he said.

If there is no government action within seven days and the terrorist elements put the nation and the monarch at risk, the PAD is prepared to fulfill the duty of Thai citizens under the Constitution to protect the nation and monarchy promptly.

Mr Piphop said that the PAD had earlier predicted that there would be violence and that fugitive ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra was “certainly involved” and using a three-pronged co-operation -- Red Shirt protesters, politicians in the Thaksin 'regime' and armed groups.

He said the bloody April 10 clashes between the UDD and military proved what the PAD is saying.

The People's Alliance asks the UDD leaders to stop inciting hatred among people and to take responsibility by dispersing the protest to save lives of innocent people, preventing them from becoming victims of terrorists.

Mr Phiphop urged the government show its sincerity by hosting the reform plan, letting all sectors participate in making the changes in terms of economy, politics and society to help the people who had suffered unfair treatment in regard to the three aspects.

The PAD Yellow Shirts played a pivotal role in the movement to topple the Thaksin government, with protests leading to the military coup d'etat on September 19, 2006. The movement staged a series of street protests which toppled two successive governments -- those of Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat -- which it accused of being Mr Thaksin's proxies. 
By: mcot