Regional News
Chalerm Tasked to Arrest Protest Leader Suthep Thaugsuban
According to Order Nov2/2557 of the Office of the Prime Minister, Pol Cpt Chalerm will assist the police in legal affairs and he will be directly answerable to Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, head of the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (Capo).
Chalerm said Thursday that he had assigned Pol Gen Panupong Singhara na Ayudhya, his secretary, to head a police team responsible for the arrest of Suthep and the other People’s Democratic Reform Committee’s co-leaders.
Some 200 copies of the arrest warrants will be distributed to the police team who will try to arrest Suthep and associates on sight, said the labour minister. He warned some senior police officers or government officials who have been protecting Suthep to stop the practice otherwise they may face charges of negligence of duty.
Asked whether Suthep will be arrested before the January 13 deadline of Bangkok Shutdown, Chalerm said he didn’t know. He pleaded with Suthep to turn himself in, saying that the latter would certainly be granted bail afterward.