The Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (Capo) yesterday welcomed the army's threat to intervene if the political violence persists.
Surapong: Army help ‘won’t lead to a coup’
Surapong Tovichakchaikul, advisory chairman of Capo and former deputy prime minister, said he would support the imposition of martial law if political riots erupted and the situation got out of hand.
He said the use of martial law is permitted under the constitution and would not equate to a military coup.
Mr Surapong said Capo is closely monitoring the political situation and bracing for mass rallies this weekend by the anti-government People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) and the rival United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).
The PDRC is stepping up its campaign to remove the current caretaker government, while the Senate has said it is close to finding a solution to the political conflict.
The red shirts have threatened to escalate their protest if the Senate's proposed solution involves the appointment of an interim prime minister.
Capo director Chalerm Yubamrung yesterday pledged to support the army if martial law needs to be imposed.
He said the army is in charge of security and has the full authority to take action if violence erupts and threatens public peace.
The army's promise to use "full force" to maintain law and order came on Thursday, after gun and grenade attacks on the anti-government protest site at Ratchadamnoen Avenue killed three people and wounded 22 others.
The warning was army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha's most explicit threat of military intervention in the months-long political crisis.
Meanwhile, the PDRC yesterday praised the army for taking a strong stance on the political violence.
Spokesman Akanat Promphan said the army's comments were welcome since Capo and the police had failed to take action to stop the perpetrators of frequent attacks on PDRC supporters.
But Mr Akanat dismissed as unreliable the UDD's claim that Gen Prayuth would be nominated as an interim prime minister. He said the army chief's name had simply emerged as a potential candidate because he had condemned political violence against demonstrators.
Mr Akanat insisted it was too early to discuss the choice of an interim prime minister, but said the protesters stood by the Senate's efforts to seek a solution to end the political crisis.
Gen Prayuth meanwhile yesterday sought to clarify his earlier warning, saying his statement did not mean that the military was plotting a coup and was not singling out any particular group.
"Don't assume that I have chosen a side," he said. "Don't find fault with the army," he added, referring to criticism that the army had failed to take effective action against violence until PDRC camps were attacked.
Col Winthai Suvari, an army deputy spokesman, said Gen Prayuth's statement was simply intended to urge all sides to refrain from violence. He also asked protest guards to be more vigilant and avoid illegal actions.
The army colonel was apparently referring to reports that protest guards had viciously assaulted people who strayed too close to protest venues at night.