CAPO tasked with ensuring public safety on April 5

BANGKOK, April 1 (TNA) - Thailand's Caretaker Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has expressed her concerns over simultaneous rallies planned by both pro-government and anti-government demonstration groups on April 5 and has ordered the Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) to prevent any clash and ensure safety for everyone. Yingluck told journalists of the update on Tuesday, after the Cabinet's weekly meeting in Bangkok's Nakhon Pathom Province, asking concerned parties not to lead their demonstrators to confront with each other to also help prevent violence. National Police Chief Police General Adul Saengsingkaew acknowledged, meanwhile, that the caretaker prime minister ordered him to monitor the updated situation relating to the April 5 political demonstrations closely and he will meet and assess the situation with Royal Thai Armed Forces chiefs on April 2. Lieutenant General Paradon Pattanatabut, Secretary-General of the National Security Council (NSC), revealed that there has been no sign of a coup and Royal Thai Armed Forces chiefs are likely to discuss ways to relieve the situation and cooperation with police on April 2. The NSC chief assessed that there should not be violence during next Saturday's political demonstrations, as the pro-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) has announced it will not rally in Bangkok or any area at risk of confronting with the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC). Former UDD chair Tida Thawornseth estimated that at least 500,000 red-clad UDD supporters will turn out on April 5. (TNA)