A pavilion in a brand new red-shirt village in Songkhla was set on fire and burned down on Tuesday morning.
The arsonist struck only a day after Tida Tavornseth, chairwoman of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), presided over the opening ceremony of the red-shirt village in Songkhla's Chana district.
Police initially suspected the motive was political, because some local people were not happy with the red-shirt movement's push into the southern province.
There are now 10 red-shirt villages spread through three tambons of Songkhla. The southern region is the traditional political stronghold of the opposition Democrat Party.
However party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut quickly denied his party was in any way involved in the fire or supported arson.
His party was not calling on people in Songkhla and Phuket to protest against the red-shirt movement's activities in their areas, he said.
The Democrats only told people in the South the truth. They were well aware of the UDD's hidden agenda.
"Southerners don't want national division and conflict, but this does not mean that the red-shirt supporters are not allowed to enter the South," Mr Chavanond said.
"It's just that some red-shirts want to brainwash southern youth and plant wrong ideologies into their minds."
He said Pheu Thai list MP and UDD core member Weng Tojirakan should not have made the threat that the Democrats will not have land to stand on if they are the enemy of the red-shirts.
"We are not the enemy of the red-shirts and Thai people, only of the red-shirt leaders who are misleading the public," the party spokesman said.
He called on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to rein in the red-shirt people, warning that their actions could lead to the end of her government if unchecked.
Democrat Party MP for Songkhla Sirichoke Sopha said the government is using tax money to help the Pheu Thai Party and the UDD open red-shirt villages in the South, a move which could further divide the people.
Mr Sirichoke said this was obviously for the government's own political interests and contrary to its policy to bring about reconciliation.
For example, various activities were organised prior to the opening of a red-shirt village in Chana district of Songkhla province on May 14, he said.
Moreover, a training course was planned for the people in the village on June 2-3 under the "Red All Over the Land" project. Guest speakers would include United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship chair Tida Thavornseth and Pheu Thai Party list MPs Jatuporn Prompan and Weng Tojirakan.
Mr Sirichoke called on the government to clarify the sources of the funds to carry out these activities.
If the government did not want to further divide the people, it must stop supporting the opening of more red-shirt villages, he said.
Government officials must also not be be used as tools to support Pheu Thai and the red-shirts, he said.
The arsonist struck only a day after Tida Tavornseth, chairwoman of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), presided over the opening ceremony of the red-shirt village in Songkhla's Chana district.
Police initially suspected the motive was political, because some local people were not happy with the red-shirt movement's push into the southern province.
There are now 10 red-shirt villages spread through three tambons of Songkhla. The southern region is the traditional political stronghold of the opposition Democrat Party.
However party spokesman Chavanond Intarakomalyasut quickly denied his party was in any way involved in the fire or supported arson.
His party was not calling on people in Songkhla and Phuket to protest against the red-shirt movement's activities in their areas, he said.
The Democrats only told people in the South the truth. They were well aware of the UDD's hidden agenda.
"Southerners don't want national division and conflict, but this does not mean that the red-shirt supporters are not allowed to enter the South," Mr Chavanond said.
"It's just that some red-shirts want to brainwash southern youth and plant wrong ideologies into their minds."
He said Pheu Thai list MP and UDD core member Weng Tojirakan should not have made the threat that the Democrats will not have land to stand on if they are the enemy of the red-shirts.
"We are not the enemy of the red-shirts and Thai people, only of the red-shirt leaders who are misleading the public," the party spokesman said.
He called on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to rein in the red-shirt people, warning that their actions could lead to the end of her government if unchecked.
Democrat Party MP for Songkhla Sirichoke Sopha said the government is using tax money to help the Pheu Thai Party and the UDD open red-shirt villages in the South, a move which could further divide the people.
Mr Sirichoke said this was obviously for the government's own political interests and contrary to its policy to bring about reconciliation.
For example, various activities were organised prior to the opening of a red-shirt village in Chana district of Songkhla province on May 14, he said.
Moreover, a training course was planned for the people in the village on June 2-3 under the "Red All Over the Land" project. Guest speakers would include United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship chair Tida Thavornseth and Pheu Thai Party list MPs Jatuporn Prompan and Weng Tojirakan.
Mr Sirichoke called on the government to clarify the sources of the funds to carry out these activities.
If the government did not want to further divide the people, it must stop supporting the opening of more red-shirt villages, he said.
Government officials must also not be be used as tools to support Pheu Thai and the red-shirts, he said.
