March 4, 2014

At 13:00 hrs. Police Colonel Kridsana Pattanacharoen, Deputy Spokesperson, the Royal Thai Police, briefed the press on the outcome of the meeting of the Center For Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) earlier in the day, gist as follows:

1. As the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) has violated the law by blocking traffic, blockading government agencies, forcing officials to leave their offices, and obstructing the elections, which have severely affected society and  the national conomy, the CMPO has assigned the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) to assess the damage caused by the demonstrations in order to achieve an overall picture of the situation and also for proceeding with legal action against the protesters.

2. The CMPO has received a report from the Metropolitan Police and Provincial Police regional commands regarding the legal proceedings related to the election obstructions. So far, there are 190 cases involving election obstructions (51 in Bangkok and 139 in other provinces) and 174 cases involving the failure of electoral officers to perform their duties (63 in Bangkok and 111 in other provinces). 155 persons already faced arrest warrants. 65 persons have been brought to justice.

3. The CMPO had managed to reopen 66 government offices. However, since the Civil Court's ruling, members of the PDRC have blockaded government offices once again. The PDRC has trespassed on and besieged 17 government agencies. The CMPO has advised the Permanent Secretaries and heads of all government agencies to take legal action, both criminal and civil, against members of the PDRC who have blockaded their offices within 24 hours.

4. Following the Appeals Court's dismissal of the petition by Mr. Suthep Thaugsuban seeking the rescindment of the arrest warrants against him and other leaders of the PDRC, the CMPO reaffirmed that this meant the charge of insurrection still stood, and it would instruct DSI to persist in the execution of the warrants.