CNS, police send senior men to keep an eye on far North

General News - Wednesday December 19, 2007

RACE TO PARLIAMENT

CNS, police send senior men to keep an eye on far North

SUBIN KHEUNKAEW, WASSAYOS NGARMKHAM & THEERAWAT KHAMTHITA

Key figures in the Council for National Security (CNS) and the Royal Thai Police Office are moving into Chiang Rai, a stronghold of the People Power party, to observe the security situation in amid growing complaints of intimidation of election candidates. National police chief Seripisuth Temiyavej has assigned Pol Lt-Gen Picharn Jittirat, a deputy police inspector-general, to ensure strict enforcement of the law in the province in the remaining days leading up to the election.

A source said he immediately called a meeting of 40 senior provincial policemen and instructed them to remain neutral in the election.

A number of police officers have been shifted out of local police sations after they were caught working for the PPP.

Also in Chiang Rai is Pol Lt-Gen Somkid Bunthanom, an adviser to the CNS.

He said said yesterday the CNS had assigned him to monitor the political situation in Chiang Rai and neighbouring Chiang Mai.

He had previously served as Chiang Rai police chief and therefore he knew what the politicians were up to.

Pol Lt-Gen Somkid insisted he had not arrived in Chiang Rai to ''pick on'' the candidates of any political party.

The PPP has claimed soldiers have been obstructing supporters trying to join its campaign rallies and singled out its canvassers' homes for a search.

Political parties are fighting back against what they perceive to be intimidation by the state, the party claims.

Newin Chidchob, former key executive of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai party, also arrived in Chiang Rai yesterday.

He was believed to be there to help PPP candidates deal with any attempts to prevent the party winning seats.

Earlier, PPP deputy leader Gen Ruangroj Mahasaranond, former supreme commander, and former Third Army chief Lt-Gen Udomchai Ongkhasing supervised the PPP's provincial campaign.

The two generals were seen by party insiders as ''capable hands'' to help fend off military activities which could threaten the party's prospects.

Gen Ruangroj has returned to Bangkok to prepare for the PPP's grand rally in the capital.

Mr Newin was sent to take his place.

Bangkok Post