Asia-Pacific

Thai red-shirt leaders say to surrender to police

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-04-17 13:39

BANGKOK - A core leader of red-shirt protesters in Thailand reiterated Saturday all "red-shirt" leaders wanted by the government will surrender to police on May 15, local media said.

Nattawut Saikua, a core leader and spokesman of the United front for democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), told a press conference that the UDD, the party which has been leading the red-shirt protesters in anti-government rally since March 12, has already prepared documents for the planned surrender.

He rebuked the government for issuing arrest warrants to only "red-shirt" leaders for violating the emergency state by continuing the mass rally, saying that other groups such as "pink-shirts" also broke the emergency decree which bans gatherings of more than five people in the Thai capital since April 7.

Late Friday night, UDD co-leader Jatuporn Prompan announced the "surrender" plan for the first time.

Jatuporn said UDD will send lawyers to submit a letter to metropolitan police commander on Saturday, informing him about the planned surrender.

He stated that red-shirt leaders decided to turn themselves in because they want to follow the way the leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy had done when they were wanted under arrest warrants for seizure of Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports in late 2008.