BANGKOK - THAI Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Tuesday he would invoke a harsh internal security act to handle planned mass protests by anti-government 'Red Shirts' in Bangkok at the weekend.
Supporters of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra are set to gather on Sunday to push Mr Abhisit to dissolve the government and call elections, reigniting the kingdom's three-year-old political turmoil.
'The cabinet today agreed to invoke the Internal Security Act between Aug 29 and Sept 1 to prevent protesters from occupying key government facilities,' Mr Abhisit told reporters.
'The government will not ban the rally but officials will step up weapons searching.' The act covers a central Bangkok district where protesters had planned to meet, including the residence of Thailand's revered king, parliament and Mr Abhisit's offices at Government House.
The declaration allows the military to assist the police at the meeting and empowers Thai authorities to impose a curfew, prohibit the use of public routes and ban gatherings.
Mr Abhisit said intelligence showed the 'Red Shirts' wanted to recreate unrest that in April saw them surround Government House, derail a key Asian summit and rampage through Bangkok for two days.
Thaksin's supporters eventually backed down after a military crackdown but they have reignited their campaign in recent weeks, lodging a petition with the king last week for a royal pardon for Thaksin.
Thaksin was toppled in a military coup in 2006 and fled the country a year ago to escape a two-year jail term for corruption.
'The protest leaders have promised there will not be any problems, but government intelligence says the protest could be protracted and we do not want a repeat of the situation in April,' he said.
Mr Abhisit last invoked the Internal Security Act to prevent protests at a July meeting of Asian foreign ministers on the tourist isle of Phuket, which went ahead peacefully. -- AFP
