Police ‘fully prepared’ to handle crowds as new threats issued

Meanwhile, in a thinly veiled threat to Yingluck supporters, the junta reminded people that the Public Assembly Act had been in effect since August 13 and that violators would be prosecuted.
In a Facebook post yesterday, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) suggested ways in which people could offer support to the ex-prime minister without violating the law, and also outlined offences under the law.

Royal Thai Police deputy chief Pol General Srivara Rangsibrahmanakul yesterday said he had assured Supreme Court judges that police were fully prepared for the event. He added that the court was particularly concerned about security and the image of the court. “I told the court that police are 100-per-cent ready,” he said, adding that between 80 and 90 more security cameras would be installed inside the court’s compound, in addition to more than 100 “mobile cameras”. 
Earlier yesterday, Srivara had a 90-minute meeting with Supreme Court representatives and commanders of crowd-control units to discuss preparations for the verdict day.
Srivara said he did not have any information pointing to a possible untoward incident, adding that authorities had closely monitored people with a history of political extremism.
“I believe there will be no problems. But there could be some traffic congestion in the area,” he said.
He also urged Yingluck supporters gathering at the court to remain in the area designated for them and to follow instructions from on-duty officials. He warned that those who ignored instructions to disperse would be arrested for violating the public-demonstration law.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday said his government did not want to use force, enforce the law or even get involved in the case. When he was asked if he had any concerns over the matter, Prayut said people should take care of each other and should think for themselves to decide if they could influence or change a court verdict.

The high court’s Criminal Division for Political Office Holders is scheduled to deliver its verdict tomorrow in the case in which Yingluck is accused of negligence – a charge stemming from her government’s corruption-plagued rice-pledging scheme. On the same day, the court is also scheduled to issue a ruling in a related case against Yingluck’s former commerce minister Boonsong Teriyapirom, his ex-deputy Poom Sarapol and 26 others accused of involvement in allegedly fraudulent deals to sell rice from state stockpiles to the Chinese government.
Authorities and politicians from Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party have said they expected thousands of her supporters to gather at the court, although the estimates differ widely from a little over 1,000 to a few thousand by government officials to at least 10,000 by Pheu Thai politicians and red-shirt leaders.
An area of about 1,600 square metres outside the court has been reserved for Yingluck supporters, and the area is expected to accommodate some 4,800 people. 
Hundreds of crowd-control police have been dispatched to the court, many of them reinforcements from the provinces. A number of plainclothes police detectives will also mingle with the crowd to monitor the situation, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Some police officers stationed inside the court’s compound will carry communications radios that can be used to take photos.
Meanwhile, politicians from Yingluck’s Pheu Thai Party yesterday criticised what they described as government overreaction in attempting to block her supporters from coming to Bangkok. Former MP Amnuay Klangpha said he did not expect Yingluck supporters to cause any trouble or unrest.
Yingluck yesterday offered alms to monks at her house in the morning and also hosted a meal for monks from a nearby temple. She later went to Wat Rakhang Kositaram, where she offered daily necessities to monks and released fish as to make merit.