SURVEILLANCE OF NATTAWUT TO BE EASED

Authorities have relaxed their monitoring of key red shirt leader Nattawut Saikuar to avoid surveillance becoming a political issue, according to junta spokesman Winthai Suvaree.

Col Winthai said authorities will cut back their surveillance of Mr Nattawut and other individuals thought to be critics of the government.

The extent of the surveillance would be kept to appropriate levels, he said, to keep the issue from becoming political and prevent it from being capitalised on by critics of the National Council for Peace and Order.

He added that Mr Nattawut had been trying to raise his public profile by getting in the news recently in an attempt to discredit government agencies.

The spokesman said the key red shirt leader may have “mixed up different issues” and “conjured up a fantasy” or speculated on issues with the intent of confusing people. Col Winthai urged people to be wary of information that had come from some sources.

Last week, five red shirt leaders, including Mr Nattawut and co-leader Jatuporn Prompan, were detained by soldiers while on their way to visit Rajabhakti Park in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Before their trip, two said they were interested in making a field trip and finding out about alleged irregularities in the construction of the park and the casting of the seven giant statues of past kings which sit in the park.

They were detained, but released a few hours later.

Mr Nattawut was taken into custody after speaking to reporters at Mahachai market in Samut Sakhon. Yossawaris Chuklom, alias Jeng Dokchick, was also detained at the market by soldiers.

Mr Nattawut had earlier claimed that he and his family were being stalked.