Friday, December 18, 2009

Suthep visits Chiang Mai without protest by red shirts

18/12/2009

Chiang Mai - Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban Friday entered the hornet's nest by visiting Chiang Mai but the red-shirt protesters were not there to receive him.

Suthep arrived on a special plane at the Wing 41 at 9:10 am. He was briefed of the situation by Chiang Mai Governor Amornphan Nimanan and flew on a helicopter to Omkoi district to observe a project to eliminate opium growing by hill-tribe people.

At 8 am, Apichart Sondee, a leader of the Chiang Mai Loving 51 Group urged local red-shirt people to rally outside the Wing 41 but no one turned up.

Apichart himself was later arrested for allegedly carrying a gun-like object.

While Suthep was visiting Chiang Mail, local red-shirt leaders, such as Phetchawat Wattanapongsiri and Kanyaphak Maneechak, were visiting former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in Cambodia.

The Nation

No comments: