Police hunt fleeing protest leaders

Mr. Jakrapob Penkair received flowers from supporters.

Bangkok Post

Published: 15/04/2009

Two wanted leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) remained at large on Wednesday - Jakrapob Penkair and Jatuporn Pompan - as order returned to riot-hit Bangkok.

Police said they had arrest warrants for the two men and were confident they would be arrested.

There was no evidence the two men had fled the country to join their exiled leader and outlawed politician Thaksin Shinawatra, he said.

Three other core members of red-shirt uprising surrendered to police on Tuesday after arrest warrants were issued - Veera Musikhapong was later sent to a Border Patrol Police base in Pathum Thani province, Nattawut Saikua to Naresuan military base in Prachuap Khiri Khan and Weng Tojirakarn to a border police station in Kanchanaburi.

Bangkok Metropolitan Police chief Worapong Chewpreecha confirmed police had arrest warrants for former prime minister's office minister Jakrapob and opposition Puea Thai MP Jatuporn. He was confident investigators would find them.

Reports said the intelligence services were actively involved in the hunt for the two men.

Pol Lt-Gen Worapong said investigators were compiling evidence to back applications to the court for arrest warrants for minor leaders who played a part in instigating the chaos of the weekend and Monday riots.

Arrest warrants would also be sought for protesters who had destroyed property and injured civilians, including those who shot two people dead.

A warrant has also been issued for the arrest of Thaksin Shinawatra, the fugitive former prime minister who exhorted his UDD supporters by phone and video-link to rise up against the government. He is accused of inciting unrest.

Thaksin fled the country to avoid a conviction and jail sentence for abuse of power while prime minister. He was removed from power by a coup in September 2006 amid a storm of corruption allegations.

From abroad, he has repeatedly called on his red-shirt followers to overthrow the government.

The latest protest, which began on March 26, escalated with the storming of a regional summit in Pattaya on Saturday, forcing its closure, before a showdown in Bangkok between demonstrators and troops on Monday. The protest collapsed on Tuesday.

Security checkpoints were still in place on Wednesday around the capital, which was quiet as residents enjoyed a final day of Buddhist New Year, or Songkran, celebrations ahead of an extra two days of public holiday for government employees announced in the wake of the riots. Water-splashing festivities were also extended for two days in tourist areas of the city.

The unrest began with a red-shirt protest on March 26. Demonstrators demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and members of the privy council who Thakskin accused of being behind the 2006 coup. The council is an advisory body to His Majesty the King and claims to be above politics.

The protesters dispersed from their main camp in Bangkok on Tuesday amid threats of further military action.

A court issued warrants Tuesday for Thaksin and 12 supporters, three of whom have been charged, for breaching the state of emergency put in place Sunday, threatening acts of violence and inciting others to break the law.

Soldiers used tear gas and fired automatic weapons to disperse demonstrators who sent buses hurtling towards troops and tried to torch a government ministry with petrol bombs on Monday.

Calm returned to the capital on Tuesday after the army fenced protesters into their main protest site at Government House, threatening to advance. They decided to abandon the rally and go home.

Several countries have advised tourists not to travel to Thailand or to exercise caution if already there, while the US State Department condemned the "unacceptable violence" by the protesters.