Key developments on  the protest situation in Bangkok
5  - 6 December 2013

Key events on 5 December 2013

All three main rally sites of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) --- namely Democracy Monument, Ministry of Finance and the Cheang Wattana Government Complex --- remained calm and peaceful.  A merit making ceremony led by Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban, the Secretary-General of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), at the Government Complex was held early in the morning.

The number of protestors at all three main rally sites, according to media reports, appeared to have dwindled in the morning. Those who remain were attentively following the live broadcast of the royal procession and the grand audience from Klai Kangwon Palace.

Key PDRC leaders had stated their collective intention to refrain from engaging in any political activities today. There has, thus far, been no movement relating to politics from all three main rally sites.

A candlelight vigil, organized by the protestors, to pay homage to His Majesty the King on the occasion of His Majesty’s 86th birthday anniversary were held at both the Democracy Monument rally site and the Government Complex at around 19.00 hrs.

At around 23.00 hrs, a group of unknown assailants threw makeshift explosives into the rally site at the Ministry of Finance injuring a PDRC volunteer guard. Apart from that incident, the overall situation had been peaceful in Bangkok as well as outside of Bangkok.

Key events on 6 December 2013

At around 03.00 hrs, three explosive devices went off near the 14 October Monument but no one was injured. At 04.00 hrs, a group of bikers were seen throwing makeshift explosives into the same area injuring one person. Both cases are now under investigation. These, however, were isolated incidents and the protests had largely been peaceful.

The spokesperson of Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) reaffirmed that CAPO was still using the same measure of crowd control and there was no plan to forcibly break up the protests.

The number of the protestors at various main sites at 21.30 hrs was as follows: Democracy Monument – 3,000; Government Complex – 1,400; Ministry of Finance – 1,000; Makwan Bridge – 350; and Nang Lerng intersection – 250.

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News Division
Department of Information