CMPO to freeze financial transactions of protest sponsors

BANGKOK, February 6 (TNA) - The caretaker government-run Centre for Maintaining Peace and Order (CMPO) will, by next Monday, order the freezing of financial transactions of those sponsoring anti-government protests. Department of Special Investigation (DSI) Director-General Tharit Pengdit, in his capacity as a CMPO member, told journalists on Thursday that the names of the anti-government protest supporters have been gathered, now as many as 136 names from 120 names earlier found, including 58 names associated with PDRC leaders, 30 names found from the DSI's probes and the rest 48 names traced by Special Branch police. Tharit said that the official order to freeze the protest sponsors' bank accounts will be issued either on February 7 or February 10, with their names and schedules for each of them to report to the CMPO to clarify themselves on the charge to be also publicly announced. According to the DSI chief, if those accused failed to report and clarify themselves before the CMPO, a legal action would be taken against them. But during the freezing of their bank accounts, they could request for an exception, if necessary, case by case pending a final finding by the CMPO. The DSI chief insisted the measure is the same practice adopted by the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) set up by the former Democrat government of ex-prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to handle the 2010 mass protest.(TNA)