Phuket Gazette Thailand News: Chalerm gives protesters 72 hours to quit

– Thailand news selected by Gazette editors for Phuket’s international community

PHUKET: Caretaker Labour Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung, the director of the Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO), today issued an ultimatum to protesters to halt their siege of government offices within 72 hours.

Mr Chalerm said that the protesters would be arrested if they refused to stop blocking government offices.

“I’ll deploy assault units… to arrest all of them for violating the emergency decree and for illegal intrusion into government offices,” Mr Chalerm said.

The CMPO would not seek help from the armed forces to launch the crackdowns yet, he said.

“Action will be taken against only those who are blocking the work of government officials, not against other demonstrators,” Mr Chalerm said.

Mr Chalerm made it clear that actions being taken by the CMPO were unassociated with Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

“I’ll take responsibility myself,” he said.

— Phuket Gazette Editors

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