Thailand's Caretaker PM monitors street protest

BANGKOK, March 29 (TNA ) - As Bangkok, again, faced a mass anti-government protest on Saturday, Caretaker Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has monitored updates and instructed police to ensure order in the capital and to prevent any untoward incident. Yingluck reportedly travelled outside Bangkok on Friday, but she has closely monitored the situation in the capital. Security at her residence in the capital has been tightened, as Yingluck is expected to return to Bangkok on Saturday evening to exercise her right in Sunday's senatorial election at a polling booth, not far from her residence. Meanwhile, anti-government demonstrators of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), led by its Secretary-General Suthep Thaugsuban, arrived at the Equestrian Statue of King Rama V, near the Parliament and Government House, on early Saturday afternoon. They were waiting for the other five groups of demonstrators there before beginning their worship ceremony at the monument for their good luck. After the ceremony, the demonstrators planned to march back together to their rally site in Lumpini public park to complete their Saturday's mass rally, aimed at showing their demand for a national reform before a fresh general election. Thai Army Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, in the meantime, ordered soldiers on high alert to prevent any untoward incident amid the mass street protest by the anti-government protesters in Bangkok. According to Commander of the 1st Division, the King’s Guard, Major General Wara Boonyasit, the army chief also ordered soldiers to step up search for suspicious items and to prevent third parties from instigating violence in the light of the street protest. Major General Wara acknowledged that the army has maintained security personnel and 176 security checkpoints, who will work closely with police to ensure order and safety Bangkok. Major General Wara, nonetheless, confirmed that there was violence reported at the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), where anti-government protesters planned to reclaim a protest site from pro-government supporters. (TNA)