Anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban says protesters might break into warehouses to seize pledged rice and sell it to raise money for farmers.
Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban arrives in the Silom area to address his supporters during their lunchtime break yesterday. PATIPAT JANTHONG
Mr Suthep, secretary-general of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), told supporters in Silom yesterday that he sympathised with rice growers. They owed the banks money but the government has not paid them for the rice they pledged under the project.
He said the government wishes to borrow from financial institutions to pay for the rice but no one is willing to lend. The caretaker government has no authority to approve projects which could affect the next government.
Rice growers will continue to wait, he said. One solution is to sell the government's stock of 18 million tonnes of pledged rice.
Mr Suthep said the government could try selling its whole stock at once, but refused to do so as it wanted to help people in power. He said the PDRC may stage a huge rally and the protesters could break into warehouses, obtain the pledged rice stored in them and sell it to help farmers.
''It's like the story of Robin Hood, but we rob from the government to help the farmers,'' he said.
Mr Suthep added the PDRC's "Bangkok shutdown" rallies would stick to peaceful means to minimise effects on the public.
The PDRC core leader Sathit Wongnongtoey said Mr Suthep will lead a protest walkabout today in Silom and appeal for public donations which will be given to farmers as financial aid.
Meanwhile, Chalerm Yubamrung, caretaker labour minister and director of the government's Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order, has given the protesters four days to leave the Interior Ministry they have besieged, or 1,000 police officers and defence volunteers will be deployed to surround them.
He wants to stop more demonstrators from entering the ministry, and ensure those already there will leave.
The Criminal Court issued warrants for the arrest of 19 leaders of the PDRC on Wednesday. Mr Chalerm said the court's decision showed the PDRC's seizure of government offices was illegal. He has appointed 12 teams of law enforcement officials to arrest the leaders. The government will seek warrants for 39 other protest leaders next Monday.
Mr Chalerm added the PDRC's movement to oust his caretaker government would not be successful as the majority of people did not support it. He urged Mr Suthep to surrender.
Khomsan Thongsri, secretary-general of the State Enterprises Workers' Relation Confederation who took demonstrators to seize the Interior Ministry, said the demonstrators would not leave, but were wiling to let officials in to work.
Also, the Civil Court has extended till Monday the deadline for caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Mr Chalerm and police chief Adul Saengsingkaew to send their statements in a case filed by PDRC co-leader Thaworn Senneam seeking to overrule the CMPO's imposition of the emergency decree.
Mr Thaworn said he invited Mr Chalerm or caretaker Interior Minister Charupong Ruangsuwan to discuss the matter with him in person. He said they could meet at Wat Ratchabophit.
He also asked the court to prohibit the government from using force to crack down on demonstrators.
The court will deliver its ruling on Wednesday.
It also dismissed Mr Chalerm's argument the Administrative Court, not the Civil Court, has authority to rule.
