(3 March) The Royal Thai Army says it will take actions against what the top brass misunderstood as a separatist group in northern Thailand.

Lt.Gen. Preecha Chan-Ocha, commander of the Third Region Army, told reporters on Sunday that he has been instructed by his brother and the Commander-in-Chief, Gen. Prayuth Chan-Ocha, to strictly monitor the movements of an activist group called Sor Por Por Lanna. 

Lanna is the traditional name of a number of provinces which are now incorporated into northern Thailand, while Sor Por Por evokes the abbreviated official name of Laos in Thai language: Sor Por Por Laos – People′s Democratic Republic of Laos. 

According to an army spokesman, some pro-government Redshirts activists in the northern province of Chiang Mai were seen waving red-white banners bearing the words "Sor Por Por Lanna", which he found it very inappropriate, as the banner suggested that the Redshirts were advocating for a separate state called People′s Democratic Republic of Lanna.

"It′s illegal and it′s not constructive at all," said the spokesman, Col. Winthai Suvaree. 

He warned that members of the public should think twice before joining the group, since advocating separatist ideas is illegal under the Thai laws. "Freedom to express different ideas is the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, but a separatist expression is not," Col. Winthai said.

Gen. Prayuth has already instructed military representatives in Chiang Mai and Phayao to press charge against Sor Por Por Lanna, Lt.Gen. Preecha announced.

The lieutenant general accused the group of violating Article 113 of the Thai Criminal Codes, which bans any action or threat to overthrow the administrative regime or separate any territory of the kingdom. 

If found guilty, the accused could face life sentence or even death penalty. 

Lt.Gen. Preecha added that Sor Por Por Lanna might also be convicted under Article 114, which criminalised attempts to conspire in treason against the state. 

He named two local Redshirts groups – Love Chiang Mai 51, and Phayao Redshirts – as core elements of Sor Por Por Lanna. 

A number of media, Thai and foreign, have previously voiced speculation that Redshirts in their northern and northeastern strongholds of Thailand are gearing up for a separatist campaign in response to the perceived injustice they have faced at the hands of Bangkok elite. 

Some Redshirts also publicly suggested that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra move the capital city to Chiang Mai and declare herself as the only legitimate government should the military side with ongoing anti-government protests and stage a coup against her administration.

Northern and northeastern Thailand is known as heartlands of Ms. Yingluck′s supporters, while much of her opposition hails from urban Bangkok and the south of the country.

"Let me stress that the military has performed its duty to the fullest. We have never taken any side," Lt.Col. Preecha said, "But I admit the Third Region [military district] has seen movements that might mislead the people, especially the Sor Por Por Lanna group".

He also vowed to conduct a meeting with Governors of 17 provinces and organise a special operation to combat the separatist sedition allegedly advocated by Sor Por Por Lanna.

However, a quick search on the Internet would have informed the army top brass that Sor Por Por Lanna is far from a republican Leninist revolutionary movement.

Sor Por Por Lanna is in fact a local chapter of Bangkok-based Sor Por Por, the Assembly For Defence of Democracy (AFDD), which was formed by a group of academics in late December to support the 2 February general election.

The group was established as a response to the anti-government People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD), who sought to boycott the 2 February election and replace Ms. Yingluck′s government with an unelected "People′s Council".

In a statement released yesterday, the AFDD affirms its stance as a group to campaign for a democratic transition under the electoral system.

The AFDD has no separatist agenda, the statement says, and the group also requested the military to review its intelligence units which might have been responsible for such "distorting" information.

Nevertheless, the AFDD acknowledges that some citizens in the north and northeast are starting to voice their opinions that their regions should be independent from Bangkok and the south. 

"Although Sor Por Por recognises that such notion is neither an achievable goal nor a solution to solve the present crisis in Thai society, Sor Por Por would like to highlight the importance of the perspective, as it reflects the bitterness felt by many people toward the political injustice which has been occurring since 2006 military coup," the statement says.

It adds, "Instead of seeking legal actions against ordinary citizens, those in power and all political groups should seriously consider the problem, namely by questioning what has caused these people to feel in such way".

"Sor Por Por believes that questioning and answering the issues with open heart is the only way to keep Thailand from fragmenting any further than the present situation".

(28 February) A spokesman of the ruling Pheu Thai Party has alleged that an anti-government protest leader staged an attack on his own residence to seek sympathy.

Mr. Nataphol Teepsuwan, a member of the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD), posted on his Facebook account that an unknown assailant has hurled a "pipe bomb" into his residence in Asoke district of Bangkok at around 03.00 today.

However, the device did not explode, Mr. Nataphol said.

Mr. Nataphol′s residence situates in close proximity to a PCAD rally site Asoke area, and the incident reportedly took place hours after Mr. Nataphol and his supporters heckled the ex-wife of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at Emporium shopping mall.

But deputy spokesman of the Pheu Thai Party has cast doubt on Mr. Nataphol′s tale of the alleged attack. 

"I can assure you that the government did not do it," Mr. Anusorn Iamsa-ard told reporters today, "And the society needs to watch whether it was merely [Mr. Nathapol′s] cheap trick to draw sympathy".

He also suggested that the attack might have been staged by Mr. Nathapol′s own group to mend his image which, Mr. Anusorn believes, has been badly damaged after the PCAD activist harassed Mr. Thaksin′s ex-wife yesterday.

"It′s hard to forgive him because he disrespects the social hierarchy," Mr. Anusorn said.

(28 February) A homemade explosive device has been planted by unknown individuals near a Redshirts rally site in Nonthaburi province.

The bomb was found at around 06.30 in front of Public Waterworks office on Tiwanon Road in the province. 

A group of Redshirts demonstrators led by the People′s Radio for Democracy (PRD) have been staging a rally at the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) headquarters nearby. 

EOD team later arrived at the scene and determined that the device was composed of fertiliser mixed with gasoline, chains, shards of glass, and a number of "C4 explosives" filled inside a fire extinguisher. 

According to the police, the bomb was "highly destructive" and had a blast radius of over 200 metres. Similar types of the devices are commonly found in the restive southern border provinces, an officer added.

The bomb was eventually destroyed by the EOD team.

The police speculated that the bomb carrier initially meant to plant the device near the Redshirts rally at the NACC office, but was forced to abandon the plan and leave the bomb behind when the carrier spotted a police checkpoint in the area.

However, Mr. Sansern Ponjiad, the secretary-general of the NACC, told reporters he believed the bomb was intended to intimidate the anti-corruption commissioners.

Mr. Sansern said unknown assailants have previously planted explosives by the wall of the NACC office. 

"This kind of intimidation is illegal," Mr. Sansern complained, "Please put an end to such action". 

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(27 February) A hospital in Nakhon Sawan province has removed an anti-government banner on its rooftop following a protest by the Redshirts.

The banner, which was displayed at Nong Bua Hospital in Nong Bua district before its removal, stated that its staff are against the "corrupt government" of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

It was placed at the hospital after a group of doctors and medical workers under the supervision of the Ministry of Public Health called for all hospitals across the country to express their stance against Ms. Yingluck′s government.

The announcement also urged medical workers to dress in black to symbolise their political stance. 

Over 500 Redshirts supporters gathered at the hospital earlier today to voice their anger at the hospital administrators. The demonstrators also asked to meet with Mr. Chaiwat Pongtaweeboon, M.D., and requested that the hospital remove the banner.

However, the hospital staff refused, while a group of doctors and nurses with whistles – symbols of the anti-government campaign – hung around their necks appeared near the hospital entrance to observe the Redshirts. 

The protesters became enraged, and some tried to climb to the rooftop and remove the banner, but they were stopped by the hospital security guards. Meanwhile, some anti-government medical workers started to argue loudly with the Redshirts, and the situation was suddenly tense.

Mr. Chaiwat eventually met with the Redshirts and ordered the banner to be taken down to defuse the confrontation. The move satisfied the demonstrators, who promptly dispersed from the scene. 

(27 February) Redshirts protesters have started construction of concrete barrier to seal off entrance to the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).

The group, led by activists of the People′s Radio for Democracy (PRD), has been laying siege at the NACC to demand the same rights to protest in equal measure to the anti-government protesters who have been occupying a number of roads and closing down state agencies.

At the NACC, PRD activists mixed sand and other equipment for the concrete barrier, and requested that the NACC temporarily shut down its bureau until a new set of commissioners is appointed.

NACC has previously summoned Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to hear her corruption charge over the rice-pledging scheme. Ms. Yingluck has declined to meet with the NACC and appointed a legal representative to hear the allegation. 

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(27 February) Deputy spokeswoman of the Prime Minister Office has pressed charges against anti-government guards who had briefly detained her on 25 February.

Ms. Sunisa Lertpakawat was identified and captured by security guards of the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD) near their rally site in Pathumwan Intersection of Bangkok.

The guards were seen interrogating Ms. Sunisa at their headquarters tent before she was released and told to leave the protest site. 

PCAD leaders have previously vowed to "arrest" top officials of the government in the bid to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her Cabinet members.

Speaking to the police at Pathumwan Police Station today, Ms. Sunisa expressed her wish to press charge against the guards for illegal detention and physical intimidation.  

Ms. Sunisa said she was visiting Pornkasem Clinic near the intersection for her dermatological conditions when the guards recognised her. The spokeswoman insisted she was not on a mission to spy on the protesters and she did not intend to provoke the PCAD demonstrators in anyway.

"I have to see my personal doctor who treats my skin," Ms. Sunisa told reporters, "If I didn′t go there, I would have to to the branch in Bang Kapi, which is very far from my residence".

Ms. Sunisa also claimed that she decided to visit the clinic in Pathumwan despite its close proximity to the protesters because PCAD leaders have repeatedly asserted that their rallies are peaceful and non-violent.

However, she said, her experience tells otherwise. According to Ms. Sunisa, a group of 20 PCAD guards stalked her shortly after she left the clinic and eventually mobbed her, some pulling her by the hair. The guards later escorted her for an interrogation.

"Let me stress that I didn′t intend to get close to the demonstrators and provoke them," Ms. Sunisa said, "I had to go because it was really necessary. Please give me some fairness".  

(27 February) Famous pop singer 'Jo Nuveau' is forced to cancel his scheduled performance due to pressure from the Redshirts protesters

The singer, whose real name is Mr. Jirayut Wattanasin, was slated to give performance at Tawanna 2004 pub-and-restaurant in Nakhon Panom province on 2 March. 

However, a group of United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) supporters marched last night to the bar with over 30 vehicles and force the venue to cancel the concert.

Ms. Somsri Sommercon, a local UDD leader, said she is deeply angered by Mr. Jirayut′s support for the People′s Committee for Absolute Democracy With the King As Head of State (PCAD), which aims to oust Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. 

Furthermore, according to Ms. Somsri, Mr. Jirayut has made numerous remarks which insult the Redshirts movements and the poor across the country. 

She also threatened to organise a large protest at the bar if its managers refuse to call off the concert on 2 March.

In front of the pub, the Redshirts held up signs denouncing Mr. Jirayut –  one of them read "Nakhon Panom people don′t welcome any shop that supports the PCAD" – while their leaders gave speeches criticising the PCAD movements.

The pub′s manager, Mr. Pattanagorn Johjong, later emerged to negotiate with the protesters for around 30 minutes. He told the Redshirts that the management was genuinely unaware of Mr Jirayut′s political affiliation and willing to cancel the concert if the Redshirts insist. 

Satisfied by Mr. Pattanagorn′s proposal, the Redshirts peacefully dispersed from the restaurant.

Previously on 24 February, a pro-PCAD singer, Mr. Pongsak "Off" Rattanapong, was also forcedtocalloff his scheduled performance at a bar in Chiang Mai province, after a group of Redshirts besieged the pub prior to his arrival.