BANGKOK, Nov. 29 (PNA/Xinhua) — The government of Thailand has pledged to show its utmost tolerance in dealing with the widening street protests, its spokesman said on Thursday.
All the government officials have been instructed to be extremely tolerate in containing the situation in a peaceful manner, said Sek Wannamethee, spokesman of the Foreign Ministry. The government is prepared to provide all necessary support to ministries and agencies whose work is obstructed by the protests and has urged them to continue with their duties, he added.
The Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) under the Royal Thai Police said in an earlier statement that it will continue to take various actions necessary to keep peace and order but the use of force will be avoided and maximum restraint will be applied.
All individuals who forcibly enter and destroy government facilities will be held accountable by the law, it said, adding that the CAPO will send its representatives to negotiate with the protesters to leave the government premises at the earliest opportunity.
In a televised statement a few hours after winning a vote of confidence in the parliament, the embattled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra called on the demonstrators to end the rally and hold dialogue with the government to find a way out of the political tumult, which she said causes the economy and the country to step back.
The anti-government movement, spearheaded by a former Democrat legislator, demands an end of the so-called “Thaksin’s regime”, allegedly carried out by Yingluck, sister of the deposed former leader.
According to the Foreign Ministry spokesman, five countries, namely Australia, Canada, China, U.K., U.S. and two international organizations, EU and UN, have released official statements to voice concern over the political situation in Thailand, all of which call for the exercise of restraint on use of force and the seeking of peaceful solutions.A total of 30 countries and 2 regions, namely Hong Kong and Taiwan, have issued travel advisories to warn their citizens traveling in Thailand to avoid protest sites, he said.(PNA/Xinhua)