PM rubbishes claims on Clinton visit

Clinton in China//epa

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday dismissed the allegation by opposition lawmakers that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had omitted Thailand from her itinerary during her recent visit to Asia because of security concerns.

"I believe her trip was designed to cover the three largest economies in Asia and had nothing to do with my government's security capability," he said, adding his government remains in close contact with US authorities as the two countries always have excellent bilateral rela?tions.

Abhisit reminded his red-shirt opponents that they should think about the country's reputation before planning to create distur?bances during the Asean Summit next week.

He was reacting to news reports that a number of red shirts might decide to "vacation" at the seaside resort towns of Hua Hin and Cha-am, the venues for the meeting.

Abhisit's spokesman Thepthai Senpong said the Pheu Thai Party had fabricated the allegation about Clinton not coming to Thailand because of security fears to smear the government.

Thepthai said Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya will be visiting Washington in April and Clinton plans a trip to Thailand in July. Abhisit will also likely make a work?ing visit to the US and attend the United Nations meeting later this year, he added.

He said the red shirts would try to prolong their mass rally, sched?uled for tomorrow, to overlap with the Asean Summit, starting on Friday.

"The red shirts just want to cite any pretext to attack and embarrass the government even though more and more people have started to dis?tance themselves from the opposi?tion movement," he said.

Red-shirt leaders should ask themselves why they appear to have condoned the insult to the monar?chy, he said.

The support for the red shirts would dry up once people realise their true intention, he added.

Army chief General Anupong Paochinda said authorities would try to keep peace at the upcoming rally by the red shirts.

Peace-keeping measures have not been designed to disrupt the rally as alleged but to prevent violence from erupting, he said.

Soldiers from 21 companies would be on stand-by to reinforce police if deemed necessary, he said.

Rally organiser Veera Musigapong confirmed that red shirts will use Sanam Luang as their staging point before marching to Government House.

"The duration of the rally will depend on the government's response to our demands," he said in reference to the four demands made at the previous rally on January 31.

The demands are related to the dispensing of justice for the seizure of two airports at Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi in December.

Co-organiser Jatuporn Prompan said the red shirts will not block access to Government House.

Co-organiser Natthawut Saikua said the rally will be peaceful and that if any vandalism happens, authorities should not blame the red shirts but third-party hooligans.

Pheu Thai Party spokesman Prompong Nopparit claimed he had evidence about the dispatching of 10,000 soldiers dressed in red shirts to infiltrate the opposition movement.