PRDC: Victory or surrender tomorrow

By Coconuts Bangkok

Dec 8, 2013 | 3:21pm Bangkok time

Photo: Zanyasan Tanantpapat

Organizers of the anti-government demonstrations vow that tomorrow is the endgame for their monthlong push to topple Thailand’s elected government.

In a statement released early this morning to the media, the People’s Democratic Reform Committee said protesters will converge from multiple locations throughout the capital onto one target: the offices of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at the Government House in the Dusit district. The most visible face of the protest movement, former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, now identified as “Secretary-General” of the PDRC, promised to turn himself into police to face charges of insurrection if they fail.

“Mr. Suthep pledged that if he fails to obtain the CMD’s objective on December 9th, he will surrender to the police,” read the statement by Akanat Promphan, PDRC spokesman. “Mr. Suthep insists that justice must be upheld, even for accusations made against him by the Yingluck Government.”

After mobilizing protesters last month to defeat an unpopular, proposed amnesty bill subsequently rejected by the Thai Senate on Nov. 11, Suthep and the Democrat Party fielded smaller crowds when their ambition then turned to removing the elected government in favor of a royally appointed oligarchy. Beginning Nov. 25, protesters occupied the many government offices and ministries including finance, labor, foreign affairs, agriculture, tourism, transport, interior, publich health, commerce. Elsewhere, they surrounded television networks and demanded they broadcast speeches from Suthep. Meanwhile, other groups surrounded the headquarters of the city and national police, leading to running battles through Tuesday, when police stood down and a truce was declared to show respect for the king’s 86th birthday on Thursday.

Violence erupted the night of Nov. 30 between anti-government students at Ramkhamhaeng University and government supporters who’d gathered there en masse. That large crowd of “red shirts,” quickly decamped to avoid further confrontations.

Full PDRC statement:

PDRC Secretary-General calls on Prime Minister to return power to the people

On the morning of Monday December 9th, 2013, at 09:39 hrs, we ask that the Thai people rise up and march together to the Government House to conclude their month-long fight.

Last night (December 6th), the People’s Democratic Reform Committee’s (PDRC) Secretary-General, Mr. Suthep Thaungsuban, announced at Chaengwattana Government Center that the Civil Movement for Democracy (CMD) actual truths have not been told factually to the public via media coverage to Thai people. Rumors and misinformation have been used to misinform the public, truths were distorted and have been incorrectly broadcasted by the Government’s media. In order to set the record straight, to demand justice, and to save our country, we as good standing citizens shall join hands together and walk in protest against the corrupt Yingluck Government on December 9th, 2013, starting at 09.39 hrs.

Mr. Suthep pledged that if he fails to obtain the CMD’s objective on December 9th, he will surrender to the police. Mr. Suthep insists that justice must be upheld, even for accusations made against him by the Yingluck Government.

Mr, Suthep urged for the public to gain strength from King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 86th birthday speech, made on December 5th. Mr. Suthep urged the people of Thailand to help reclaim our country by walking together from their homes, offices, schools, universities and public offices to the Government House.

The CMD is absolutely commitment to non-violence. Mr. Suthep calls upon the authorities to refrain from the use of force at all costs.