Thailand's all parties urged to follow HM King's advice

BANGKOK, January 7 (TNA) - Thai Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha has urged all parties concerned to follow His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's advice on "be thoughtful, behave well". General Prayuth told journalists on Tuesday that he expects no violence during demonstrations of the anti-government People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) in Bangkok on January 13, 2014, warning that the party which used violent means would have to take responsibility, especially the government. General Prayuth denied rumors that the Thai military would stage a coup in the near future, following its recent transport of its weaponry to Bangkok, explaining that the weaponry was transported to the capital only for a parade on the occasion of the upcoming Royal Thai Armed Forces Day to show the public how effectively and transparently the Thai military has spent its budgets on the procurement of weapons and equipment. The army chief insisted that rumors are rumors, but he did not assure that there would not be a coup, saying everything has its cause and without a cause, there will not be an effect. According to the army commander-in-chief, the Thai military has nothing to do with ongoing domestic political problems, warning, however, the caretaker government not to use any harsh response to demonstrators, as that would lead to danger. Meanwhile, PDRC secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban and other protest leaders marched for about nine kilometers on Tuesday morning from Rajadamnoen Avenue to the capital's Thon Buri side to persuade people to join their planned rallies to “shut down Bangkok” next Monday to pressure for the resignation of the caretaker government in order to, as they have claimed, pave the way for a domestic political reform before the new general election. (TNA)