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Thai PM: Drastic action to be taken if protest turns riot
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-04-08 10:56 BANGKOK -- Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Tuesday afternoon drastic actions might be taken against Wednesday's mass rally in Bangkok if the planned protest becomes a riot, Thai News Agency reported.
Speaking at Parliament, Abhisit said his government is trying to avoid confrontation with the red-shirted protesters of the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), who have been demonstrating at the gates of his offices, blocking entrances for 13 days since March 26. He said the government has been most tolerant and will not initiate any violence against the UDD protesters, but "drastic action may have to be used", which if taken, will be intended to cause "minimal losses or no loss at all." Abhisit made these remarks only hours after his vehicle were trapped and attacked by UDD protesters at Pattaya, with the back windshield of the car broken and the driver injured. Abhisit was unharmed. |
