(19 March) Police say they have arrested two armed security guards of anti-government protests at checkpoints in Bangkok.

According to police reports, the first arrest took place last night on the Petchaburi Road, where police officers encountered the suspect riding in a taxi. When the officers searched the man, they reportedly found a number of firearms, ammunition, and homemade explosives.

The man, whose name was not released by the police, reportedly told the officers that he works as a volunteer guard for the People's Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD).

The suspect claimed he did not own the weapons, but was merely delivering them to his friend at the PCAD rally site in Lumpini Park.

At 10.00 today, the police announced the arrest of Mr. Panompai Chaengtawng, 43, who was found with a handguns and some ammunition at a police checkpoint in Wang Thong Lang district. 

One 9 mm. handgun, 73 handgun rounds, one radio equipment, one pair of handcuffs, and one flashlight were among the items the police reportedly found upon the search on his vehicle.

Mr. Panompai told police that he works as a temporary employee for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and also took up job as a volunteer guard for the PCAD security team.

Police charged both individuals with the unauthorised possession of firearms.

(19 March) The National Anti-Corruption Commission has launched an investigation into the claims that top governmental officials, including Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, are advocating a secessionist agenda.

Citing power under the 1999 Prevention and Suppression of Corruption Act, Mr. Sansern Polchiak, secretary-general of the NACC, announced the inquiry yesterday. 

According to Mr. Sansern, the NACC has received complaints that several Cabinet members such as Minister of Interior Affairs Jarupong Ruengsuwan and Deputy Minister of Commerce Nattawut Saikua have appeared on a rally stage alongside other Redshirts core activists in Nakhon Ratchasima province last month, where they allegedly called for "secessionist violence".

In the lengthy complaints received by the NACC, the activists have been accused of instigating violence, intimidating independent agencies and the court, campaigning for abolition of the 2007 Constitution, and calling for the Kingdom of Thailand to be separated into two entities. 

The Thai Constitution bans any attempt of separatism. 

As high-ranking officials, Mr. Jarupong and Mr. Nattawut might be guilty of negligence of their official duties which lead to grievous damage to the country due to their appearance on the stage, Mr. Sansern argued.

The investigation will also expand to include Ms. Yingluck, as the sec-gen of the NACC claimed that the Prime Minister deliberately refused to take any action against the Redshirts activists for their alleged separatist remarks. 

"As a commander [of the government], Ms. Yingluck has the power to suppress and investigate the facts about these actions, but even when the media had reported about the criminal acts, Ms. Yingluck has not proceeded to launch any fact-finding committee," Mr. Sansern complained.

Furthermore, Mr. Sansern charged that Ms. Yingluck is also serving as the Minister of Defence, responsible for exercising powers to protect the stability and security of the Kingdom from all threats, either internal or external, yet the Prime Minister has refused to take action against the Redshirts activists who are allegedly causing damage to the country and the people.

"Therefore, her inaction amounts to negligence of her duty which would cause damage to the nation, or the people, or the Ministry of Defence," Mr. Sansern concluded.

The NACC's decision is certainly bound to have angered many supporters of Ms. Yingluck, who have already viewed "independent bodies", such as the NACC, collaborators with anti-government protesters in their conspiracy to overthrow the elected government.

Prominent Redshirts activists have also denied the allegation that their leadership is seeking to secede any part of Thailand. 

Related Story: 

Army Declares War On Non-Existing Separatists

PT Should Be Dissolved For Treason: Democrats

(18 March) A prominent Redshirt activist has admitted that he has been preparing an armed “underground” force to be mobilised in the event of a military coup.

An audio clip with the purported voice of Mr. Wuttipong Kochthammakul surfaced on the internet over the weekend. In the clip, Mr. Wuttipong could be heard discussing a plan to stage reprisal attacks against the military should the armed forces launch a coup against Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

Today Mr. Wuttipong, who is widely known by his nickname “Ko Tee”, acknowledged in an interview with our correspondent that the audio clip was genuine, and explained that he had been inspired to organise his own underground movements due to unfair treatment by the establishments toward Ms. Yingluck.

“All the so-called independent agencies are mobbing Ms. Yingluck. They want to deny her even a country to live in,” Mr. Wuttipong complained.

He also threatened to unleash these “rioter squads” if Ms. Yingluck is ever ousted from her caretaker position, but admitted that the underground force he has been preparing is still low on resources and manpower.

According to Mr. Wuttipong, some members have had to take loans from banks to help organise their local underground groups, and he estimated the total number of members at “several hundred”.

Nevertheless, the Redshirts activist is adamant that his small group is willing to “fight for democracy” should the need ever arise.

“On the day Ms. Yingluck is removed from her position, my group will immediately begin our operation,” Mr. Wuttipong warned, “Gunshots will ring throughout Bangkok. I want the establishment to think carefully before causing any further chaos”.

The Royal Thai Army has previously urged the Thai police to prosecute Mr. Wuttipong for his alleged role in the spate of political violence against anti-government protesters in recent months.

(18 March) The court has approved an arrest warrant on one of armed militants allied to anti-government protesters who engaged in a pre-election gun battle against pro-government protesters.

The militants emerged during clashes in the Laksi district of Bangkok, between the rival protesters on 1 February, one day before the general election.

A pair of gunmen were seen firing a weapon, concealed in a large popcorn bag, at pro-government protesters led by local Redshirts activists, earning themselves the nickname "Popcorn Gunmen".

The violence left a number of people injured, including one elderly man who was left paralysed after being hit by a bullet.

According to a police statement, the Criminal Court has approved the arrest warrant on one of the gunmen who manned the popcorn bag firearm.

The suspect, identified as Mr. Wiwat Yordprasit, is charged with attempted murder, unauthorised possession of firearms and ammunition, carrying firearms into residential area without due cause, and violating the emergency decree which bans the carrying of firearms in a public place.  

According to the statement by the Royal Thai Police the identities of three other gunmen are being sought by the police

(18 March) Anti-government protesters have called for inquiry into the latest lotto result which, they say, appears to be rigged in favour of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's supporters.

The protesters are outraged over the number 404, the last three digits of the official first prize number that was also considered as the winning number by the popular underground lotto business.

Media reports indicate that many of Ms. Yingluck’s supporters of have won handsomely by wagering on the number, chosen from the license plate of the official vehicle used by the caretaker Prime Minister when she arrived at a noodle shop in Chiang Mai province on Saturday.

Although top officials at the Government Lottery Office have insisted that the correlation between Ms. Yingluck and the lotto result is purely coincidental, anti-government protesters have claimed that the government might have rigged the lotto result to favour Ms. Yingluck's rural supporters.

To voice that suspicion, Mr. Issara Somchai, the core leader of the People's Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD), led his supporters to organise a rally in front of the Government Lottery Office today.

The protesters are marching in motorised convoy via Bang Sue Tollway.

Another convoy of PCAD protesters headed toward the residence of Mr. Jarupong Ruengsuwan, the Minister of Interior Affairs, at Soi Latprao 19. 

(17 March) Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army has expressed his contempt toward the appointment of the new Redshirts leader, going as far as branding him a "bandit".

Well-known Pheu Thai MP and longtime Redshirts activist, Mr. Jatupon Prompan, was appointed the new chairman of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) over the weekend, replacing Ms. Thida Thavornseth.

Mr. Jatupon's rise to the helm of the UDD apparently did not please Gen. Prayuth Chan-Ocha, who implied in a press conference that Mr. Jatupon, and his fellow Redshirts activists, will not be respected by the military, as they have previously committed unspecified crimes.

"I don't give any importance to these people or any of those who have committed illegal actions," Gen. Prayuth told reporters during his visit to Narathiwat province today.

He added, "It's not appropriate for an official [like me] to argue with bandits. If they want to be aggressive toward the military I will be aggressive too. I will not accept this".

The army chief also claimed he has no intentions of taking sides in politics, and said he did not want to "push the people" towards any particular side.

However, Gen. Prayuth went on to stress that he would likewise display the same hostility toward the anti-government protesters if they had organised separatist movements and insulted the Royal Family – thereby repeating the anti-government protesters' accusation that the UDD intends to secede some parts of Thailand, and that the Redshirts harbour an anti-monarchy attitude.

Asked by a reporter whether he would seek dialogue with Mr. Jatupon, Gen. Prayuth gave an emphatic no. "He doesn't have enough honour for me to correspond with him, he never shows any honour for anyone".

Gen. Prayuth also expressed his "pity" for the Redshirts for having "an immoral man" as their leader.

"Thai people must have their eyes opened," Gen. Prayuth said, "If they are not happy with something, they should file lawsuits and not criticise the monarchy, or the court, or the military". 

(17 March) Officials have denied claims that the authorities have "rigged" lottery numbers to resemble the vehicle license plates of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

They also insisted that Thailand's lottery drawing process is strictly transparent.

Speculation that Ms. Yingluck has somehow influenced the supposedly randomised mechanism of lottery arose after the lottery draw on 16 March, which turned up the number 531404 as the first prize winner. 

In accordance with the unofficial rule of underground lottery business across the kingdom, the number 404 is also recognised as winning number in the three digits category; the official winners of the category are 250, 305, 400, and 904.

The result sent a wave of euphoria throughout Ms. Yingluck’s supporters since the number 404 coincides with the license plate of the official vehicle used by Ms. Yingluck during her recent trip to Chiang Mai province – 5404. Many of her supporters have played that number in the underground lotto market in a hope that it might bring them some fortune.

When it did, a loud cheer was heard in the community around the famous Three Baht Noodle shop on Chiang Mai's Sanambin Kao Road after the result was broadcast. 

According to an underground lotto dealer in the vicinity, who asked not to be named, many residents have wagered on the number 404 after Ms. Yingluck arrived at the Three Baht Noodle Shop on Saturday on the vehicle.

As she stepped off the car, Ms. Yingluck accidentally slipped and fell on the pavement. To the many reporters at the scene, it was a golden photo opportunity. To the locals, however, it was interpreted as a lucky sign that the number of the license plate might turn up in the lotto draw, the dealer explained.

It is understood that a number of officials and reporters who accompanied Ms. Yingluck on that day similarly won prizes by wagering with the number 404.

Another underground lottery dealer in Sakon Nakhon province told our correspondent that many residents in northeastern Thailand, the political stronghold of Ms. Yingluck, may have won "hundreds of millions of baht" since they decided to bet on 404 as a show of support for Ms. Yingluck.   

In the country where obsession over lottery runs as deep as superstition concerning all things abnormal, Ms. Yingluck is revered by some veteran lotto buyers as "the Lucky Lady", due to previous winning lotto numbers which have been associated to her vehicles or activities.

While more rational citizens dismiss the phenomenon as a typical case of confirmation bias, some anti-government critics voiced their concerns on the social network that the state lotto machinery might have been rigged in order to add a halo of mysticism around Ms. Yingluck via the winning lotto numbers.

Such speculation forced Pol.Maj.Gen. Attakrit Tharichatra, director of the Government Lottery Office, to state that the lotto result was merely a coincidence amplified by imagination.

The result could very well resemble the age of famous people, or license plates of other politicians, Pol.Maj.Gen. Attakrit said, adding "It depends on individual interpretation".

The circumstances of the lotto draw, which was broadcast live on TV and had involved the use of clear plastic devices, also meant any rigging of lotto result is impossible, Pol.Maj.Gen. Attakrit insisted.

"There is no number locking as the accusation claims," the director said, "The process is very transparent. Every step of the procedures can be scrutinised".  

Pol.Lt.Gen. Rapeepat Palawong, who was appointed to oversee the lotto draw of 16 March, similarly denied any foul play. He added that he was not even aware of Ms. Yingluck's vehicle license plate number until it was reported in the media.