I'd Refrain from Wearing Red or Yellow Shirts, if I were You

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The following appears in THE NATION:

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Yellow, Red Camps Bring Country Closer to the Brink

 

By The Nation

 

National divide is deepening drastically, with sporadic lawlessness threatening to spread on both sides of the conflict

 

Sporadic mob rules have threatened to take on a far larger scale this weekend, with protesters on both sides of the political showdown showing less and less respect for the rule of law and human rights.

 

After the Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang airports have fallen to the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy, now the Constitution Court is in danger of being surrounded by red-shirt pro-government protesters and nobody knows what is going to happen if the court on Tuesday decides to disband three ruling parties.

 

Equally worrisome are minor incidents across the country. Vendors watching ASTV have been intimidated by red-shirt people. PAD protesters have fired on a reporter's car, although that was described as a mistake (the car was mistaken as that of assailants). Southern anti-government protesters have threatened to seize provincial halls in all 14 southern provinces if a crackdown was initiated against Suvarnabhumi protesters.

 

Prime Minister Somchai yesterday took a pilgrimage to pay respect to a Buddhist holy site in Nakhon Phanom while red shirt crowds have threatened to become vigilantes to punish yellow shirt protesters.

 

Somchai went to pray before the Buddha's relic at Wat Phra That Phanom, People Power Party MP Paijit Srivorakan said.

 

Following his visit to the temple, he would spend a night in Udon Thani where a pro-government rally took place. He is expected today to return to his temporary office in Chiang Mai.

 

Paijit said northeastern constituents as well as their MPs would rally to show moral support for the prime minister.

 

In Chiang Mai, several pickup trucks filled with progovernment crowds were driven to a number of crowded public places rousing the people to take the law into their hands and attack the yellow shirt protesters and their supporters.

 

In the message, people have been encouraged to identify and shut down businesses and shops run by or linked to the protesters led by the People's Alliance for Democracy.

 

On Friday's night, a number of redshirt men forced a noodle vendor at Nong Hoy market to close down on the ground for watching the anti-government programmed aired by ASTV satellite station.

 

Between Friday and yesterday, redshirt crowds distributed flyers in English to foreign visitors criticising the seizure of two major airports at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi.

 

Speaking in the capital, Democrat Party spokesman Buranat Samutarak warned that the chance for a negotiated settlement was fast diminishing as time dragged on.

 

The country is heading for unprecedented violence and bloodshed, he said.

 

He called for Interior Minister Kowit Watana, who is in charge of crowd control, to quickly commence negotiations with the PAD before it was too late.

 

He went on to criticise former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra for resuming his political activities which have in turn inflamed the situation.

 

The situation might turn into a violent mayhem following yesterday's rally by the redshirt crowds at Sanam Luang, he said.

 

In Udon Thani, about 10,000 redshirt crowds rallied to support the government and safeguard Somchai during his overnight stay, organiser Kwanchai Praipana said.

 

Kwanchai said each northeaster constituency would mobilise about 20,000 people to rally in Bangkok on Tuesday in order to oppose the anticipated disbandment of the ruling party.

 

He called on the government to allow redshirt crowds to disperse the yellowshirt protesters if police failed to do their job.

 

Two MPs from Lop Buri, Suchart Lainamngern and Amnuay Klangpha, predicted that more than 100,000 red shirt crowds would turn out to rally by Tuesday in order to counter the PADled protests.

 

The PAD has, meanwhile, been mobilising the protesters from the 14 southern provinces to reinforce the anti-government crowds at the three rally sites, Government House, Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi.

 

PAD's Nakhon Si Thammarat chapter leader Osoth Suwansawaet said each local chaper was responsible for dispatching 200300 protesters daily to the three rally sites.

 

Osoth said PADled protesters were fully braced for crowd dispersal measures and would fight if redshirt crowds descended on them.

 

He threatened to seize every provincial hall and block interprovincial roads in the South if police cracked down on protesters at the two airports.

 

Nakhon Si Thammarat governor Panu Uthairat and his counterpart in Songkhla Sonthi Techanan said they had taken precautionary measures to preempt any attempts to blockade provincial halls.

 

Government spokesman Natthawut Saikua said it was evident from news clips that PADled protesters were armed and tried to attack unarmed police.

 

"Armed protesters should immediately stop violent attacks against the unarmed authorities," he said.

 

He said the prime minister and his government have remained fully functioning although the situation has to be reassessed on a daily basis.

 

The Tuesday's Cabinet meeting is expected to proceed but the venue has yet to be picked, he said.

 

The government sponsored merit making ceremony is on track for Tuesday although it is uncertain whether Prime Minister Somchai will leave Chiang Mai to personally chair the event, he said.

 

Somchai remains uncertain whether he can attend ceremonies relating to His Majesty's birthday, he added.

 

He insisted that the government refused to step down either by resigning or by House dissolution because this would tantamount to allowing the victory to the PAD.