Thais warned not to join ‘Black Shirt’ movement

BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chanocha warned that he will use all legal avenues at his disposal to take action against anyone who joins the ‘ Black Shirt’ movement.

The movement, according to him, is undermining Thailand as a democratic country with the Thai King as its head of state.

“Thai authorities will proceed with legal action in accordance with the present laws, so don’t do that ( join the Black Shirt movement) because it is undermining the country,” he told the media after chairing the Cabinet meeting at Government House here, yesterday.

He also asked whether the Black Shirt movement, allegedly led by ‘ separatists’ to set up a ‘ Thai Federation’, was an effort to topple the government and tantamount to treason.

The Prime Minister said laws on people who oppose the country’s constitution are harsh and asked the people to tread carefully on the illegal movement.

Prayuth was asked by the media on the arrest of a woman last Thursday for allegedly selling black T-shirts featuring a white and red badge which the authorities claimed depicted a flag or a symbol for a ‘ Thai Federation’.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon alleged that black t- shirts with a ‘separatist movement’ symbol came from neighbouring Laos, where a group of anti- monarchist Thais are currently residing after fleeing Thailand. –