Thai police ordered to secure important places, ensure public safety

BANGKOK, December 11 (TNA) - Thai police have been ordered by National Police Chief Police General Adul Saengsingkaew to secure important places, ensure public safety and perform their duties by laws as usual. Police Major General Piya Uthayo, Spokesman of the Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO), told journalists of the development on Wednesday. Regarding demonstrators’ continued attempts to break into important places, the CAPO spokesman said police are implementing internationally-recognized measures to secure their positions and did not discuss anti-government protesters’ deadline for police to leave government offices and stop their work. Meanwhile, Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, in his capacity as the CAPO Chairman, acknowledged that other countries have expressed their concerns over the political situation in Thailand and hope that the new general election, set on February 2, 2014 based on a Royal Decree, would be a solution. Surapong noted that on December 9-10 alone many countries issued their statements to express concerns over Thailand's political situation, including the United States, Germany, New Zealand, Canada and China, most of which cautioned that the domestic political situation could get out of hand and urged the caretaker Thai government to adhere to negotiations and peaceful solutions and support a democratic election. According to the caretaker Thai deputy premier, the international allies also expressed their hope that the new general election in Thailand would be smooth so that stability, peace and order in the country would be quickly restored.(TNA)