• 
• 

Veera Musigapong and Jatuporn Phrompan said they might have no choice but to urge pro-government crowds to take to the streets if there was no progress by today in evicting the People's Alliance for Democracy from the airports at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi.

Veera and Jatuporn also warned the Army not to seize power, threatening a backlash from the red-shirt crowds if it did so.

Veera said he expected the authorities to work under the terms of the state of emergency at the two airports to disperse the anti-government protesters.

"I expect pressure [on protesters] to increase from a soft approach to a hard one in order to resolve the airports' seizure in a speedy manner," he said.

If the authorities take no action to restore order at the airports by today, the red-shirts will have to assess their strategy and take action instead of remaining on the sidelines, he added.

He went on to state that he would mount strong retaliation if the Army took advantage of the crowd dispersal to stage a coup.

Jatuporn called on the government to disband the panel, chaired by Army chief General Anupong Paochinda, in charge of monitoring political developments on the grounds of Anupong being uncooperative in imposing the state of emergency.

He said Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat was obligated to restore order quickly or he would risk being seen as a lame duck.

Jatuporn added that it was imperative to reopen the airports as soon as possible, as no democracy could afford to be physically cut off from the outside world.

He reminded the military that blood would be spilled if the military seized power, as red-shirt crowds were expected to take up arms in such an eventuality.

In a related development, the People Power Party yesterday decided to distribute pamphlets advising the public on anti-coup measures.

It also urged the government to take decisive action under the state of emergency imposed at the two airports.

Coalition chief whip Withaya Kaewparadai said the pamphlets should be ready for release by today.