At 13:00 hrs. Mr.Tharit Pengdit, Director-General, the Department of Special Investigations, briefed the press on the outcome of the meeting of the Center For Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) earlier inthe day, gist as follows:

According to the reports of the Metropolitan and Provincial Police on the obstruction of advance and general elections, 149 cases were found of obstructing elections and 95 cases were found of election officers failing to perform their duties. The current number of those who face arrest warrants is 41. The police will proceed with these cases immediately.

Following the deportation proceedings against Mr. Satish Sehgal,  foreign PDRC core leader, the committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Interior was not able to reach a conclusion yesterday on terminating Mr. Sehgal’s residency permit. The CMPO urged the committee to find a conclusion and submit its decision to the Director of the CMPO by 12 February for further consideration.

Regarding a proposal made by Luang Pu Buddha Issara, or Mr. Suwit Thongprasert, whereby the PDRC would allow the DSI to resume its normal functions if it agreed to take the rice pledge scheme as a special case, DSI explained that its consideration of cases is not a matter for negotiation. DSI would consider accepting the case if a reasonable request is made by an identifiable party.

The CMPO had urged its personnel to speed up the arrest of PDRC core leaders who already face arrest warrants, and those security guards who provide services to the PDRC core leaders.The CMPO wished to condemn the PDRC’s core leaders, especially Luang Pu Buddha Issara, who had ordered PDRC security guards to capture two policemen charged with securing the Chaengwattana protest area. The two policemen, Pol. Sub. Lt. Somkid Cheukamol (59 years old) and Pol.Sen.Sgt.Maj. Vachirapong Unnualbulrapong (43 years old), were blindfolded and beaten up by the guards. These actions are a serious offense, and the CMPO will proceed with this case immediately.

Currently, 44 government offices have resumed their functions.