Demonstrators expected to start gathering around hospital on Saturday night
PUBLISHED : 17 Feb 2024 at 14:19
No extra police will be deployed around Police General Hospital on Sunday when former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is freed on parole, according to Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn, the deputy national police chief.
Only local police officers will be used to maintain peace and order at the site, Pol Gen Surachate said on Saturday.
He was commenting on an anticipated demonstration by protesters who have condemned what they see as special treatment given to the convicted former prime minister by justice authorities.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin confirmed on Saturday that Thaksin would be released on Sunday but did not specify a time. Many have speculated that he would be taken away quietly sometime after midnight Saturday.
Pichit Chaimongkol, leader of the group calling itself Students and People’s Network for Thailand Reform, posted a message on Facebook urging members to gather in front of the hospital starting on Saturday night.
If protesters stage an activity in front of the hospital and try to observe Thaksin’s release, anti-riot police and local officers were on standby to prevent any untoward incidents, said the deputy national police chief.
He estimated that there may be about 100 demonstrators, adding that police authorities would evaluate the situation as it develops.
Pol Gen Surachate said he did not see the need to arrange a special zone for demonstrators to avoid confrontation with a vehicle taking Thaksin from the hospital.
Thaksin, 74, was admitted to Police General Hospital in the early hours of Aug 23, just hours after entering prison to serve an eight-year sentence — later reduced to one year under a royal pardon — for abuse of power and conflict of interest while in office prior to 2006.
He was among a number of elderly and ill prisoners approved this week for parole.
Thaksin’s daughter Paetongtarn said earlier that the family’s Chan Song La residence on Charan Sanitwong Soi 69 in Bangkok was being prepared for her father.
Local police will be deployed around the house in line with normal rules for VIP protection as Thaksin is a former prime minister, said Pol Gen Surachate.
Demonstrators are free to express their opinions or act within the framework of democracy, but they must not violate the law, he said.
Mr Pichit’s protest group is reportedly seeking to gather 20,000 signatures to petition parliament to look into Thaksin’s medical treatment and the performance of Police General Hospital administrators.
“A move to have parliament investigate the performance of the duties of the medical team and the police hospital is another procedure that is allowed,” said Pol Gen Surachate.
“But I explained earlier that various agencies had investigated the hospital’s medical team and they confirmed the team performed its duties honestly and with transparency.”