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| Southeast Asia |
| Death threats for Thai PM |
| 2009-11-23 |
| [Straits Times] THAI Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva visited the north of the country amid heavy security on Saturday after receiving death threats over a planned trip to a stronghold of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Some 1,500 police were sent to guard Mr Abhisit as he toured the three northern provinces of Sukhothai, Phitsanulok and Phichit, to inspect government works. A supporter of fugitive Thaksin has reportedly used his radio show to threaten Mr Abhisit with a car bomb when he travels to the northern city of Chiang Mai for a commerce meeting next Sunday. The city is a stronghold for Thaksin loyalists, known as Red Shirts, who want to see the former leader return from his self-imposed exile as he dodges a jail term for graft. A member of Mr Abhisit's Democrat party, Mr Boonyod Sooktinthai, said he had filed a police complaint against Red Shirt leader Petchawat Wattanapongsirikul for comments made on a community radio station earlier this month. 'In the radio clip that we obtained, Petchawat on Nov 3 said that a car bomb is ready to kill Abhisit when he arrives in Chiang Mai,' MP and party spokesman Boonyod told AFP. He added that in another show on Nov 13 the community radio presenter called on Red Shirts in the north to rally in Chiang Mai during the visit and again threatened Mr Abhisit's life. Petchawat could not be reached for comment, but fellow Red Shirt leader Jatuporn Prompan accused the Democrats of playing politics by overemphasising the risk of violence. |
| Posted by:Fred |