The New Politics Party has urged the government to declare Martial Law, arrest the leaders of the ‘terrorists and rebels’, and remove Deputy PM Suthep, the Defence Minister and the Army Chief from office.  There should be no elections until the terrorists are suppressed.  The terrorism in Bangkok is connected to international terrorism and Thaksin is connected to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Suriyasai said.

On 13 April, the New Politics Party called on the government to declare Martial Law, to make clear the division of work between the civilian and military authorities.  This was an issue of national security, and the military must follow Section 77 of the constitution to protect the kingdom.

The party urged the authorities to search the rally sites of the red shirts, and arrest leaders of the terrorists and rebels.  If the red-shirt leaders want to continue the protests, they have to disarm and turn against terrorism.  It also demanded that Abhisit remove Deputy PM Suthep Thaugsuban, Defence Minister Gen Pravit Wongsuwan and Army Chief Gen Anupong Paojinda, it claimed, ‘to correspond to the situation, in which the government should take the lead in the reform of the country.’

Suriyasai Katasila, the party’s Secretary General, said that he was sorry for what had happened, despite the fact that the New Politics Party had often given warnings to the authorities.  As long as terrorism is not suppressed, there should be no elections, because a change in political power now will not be good for the country. 

The party called for Martial Law, as it saw that violence was tending to escalate, with heavy weapons being smuggled into the protest sites, he said.

Suriyasai said that according to information revealed by opposition parties in Sri Lanka, Thaksin had been involved in the arms trade, supplying weapons for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, with the profit used for elections.  [It is not clear from what Suriyasai said whether this refers to past or future elections - Prachatai]

‘And with Thaksin’s more frequent travels to Russia, this is a signal which I think might suggest the connection between the emerging terrorism in Bangkok and international terrorism,’ he said. 

He called on the red-shirt leaders to show their sincerity by disarming and opposing terrorism, and allowing the authorities to conduct searches at the sites.

On 18 April, the People’s Alliance for Democracy will hold a meeting for members from across the country at Rangsit University to assess the situation, plan for action, set the role of the movement, and campaign for the reform of Thailand.  If problems still persist on that day, the PAD will have to discuss whether they have to come out, he said.