Security tightened on farmers’ protest route
NAKHON SI THAMMARAT: Provincial police have beefed up security at checkpoints along the route leading to a rubber and oil palm growers’ protest site at the Ban Khuan Nong Hong intersection in Cha-uat district.
Police at Ban Toon checkpoint, about 9km from the rally site, yesterday heightened their screening operation. They carried rifles and wore body armour.
Surveillance cameras have also been installed at the two checkpoints leading to the protest site.
Security was also tightened around Ban Kuan Ngen junction, a key route that protestors have used to blockade railways, such as in August and earlier this month, according to officers.
Meanwhile, about 20 members of a network of rubber farmers and palm growers from 16 provinces yesterday turned up at the 4th Army Region in Nakhon Si Thammarat Muang district.
They submitted a petition with the army unit, asking it not to use force to disperse the protestors at Ban Khuan Nong Hong intersection. The protestors asked for the petition to be forwarded to the army chief and the 4th Army region commander.
In the petition, the group said Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and local administrators had implied that force would be used to disperse the rally.
Nakhon Si Thammarat governor Wirot Jiwarangsan yesterday denied the allegations. The provincial authorities will quickly seek means for negotiation with the demonstrators and no violence will be used, he added.
Meanwhile, Cha-uat police plan to file charges of assembly for unlawful purposes and stirring unrest against five suspects who allegedly clashed with officers on Aug 23 at Ban Khuan Nong Hong.
The suspects have been identified as Pinyo Muenchon, Kittiwadi Kunthong, Bancha Na Patthalung, Sompoj Kamnerdraksa and Somsuk Kamnerdraksa. Their names were announced by the deputy spokesman for the National Police Office Thana Chuwong yesterday.
Pol Maj Gen Thana said police yesterday arrested Mayako Malee for allegedly carrying a pistol at Ban Toon checkpoint and two others for allegedly possessing marijuana and krathom leaves in tambon Koh Kan of Cha-uat district.