National police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas has ordered police units nationwide to be prepared for potential disorder during campaign rallies.
Speaking yesterday, Pol Gen Damrongsak said the police had been informed of a few encounters at MP registration stations. However, the situation across the country was under control.
He said the incidents would serve as a lesson learned for officers ahead of larger campaign rallies with an even greater number of MP candidates and attendees needing their safety assured.
"Initially, police will send officers to monitor the rallies. However, we would like to ask for the activists' cooperation to avoid any breach of the law," he added.
Even though there are no specific areas under surveillance, Pol Gen Damrongsak said many districts have already experienced clashes between the old and the new power during the campaign rallies.
The national police chief, therefore, ordered that at least one officer be assigned to guard MP registration stations up and down the country.
Moreover, he emphasised that police officers must not favour any particular political party or any candidate. Any officer who violates the election law will face a criminal charge and disciplinary action.
The police chief's statement followed an incident on Saturday where pro-democracy activists Tantawan "Tawan" Tuatulanon and Orawan "Bam" Phupong had shown up at a rally of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) at the base of Rama VIII Bridge.
The two activists had brandished placards demanding an end to Thailand's royal defamation law and asked to meet Chaiwut Thanakmanusorn, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, who was scheduled to give a speech at the event.
The PPRP's bodyguards had rushed to push the activists away once they got too close to the stage, which led to an encounter between security and the activists' group, creating alarm among some of the rally's attendees.
