Senators are worried about the crackdown, calling for a ceasefire and a resumption of talks between the government and the protesters. 

On 16 May, Naruemon Siriwat, senator for Uttaradit, said that a group of senators had had discussions by phone on the ongoing government crackdown on the red shirts.  All of them agreed that the government’s use of force which had resulted in high casualties had gone too far, severely damaging the reputation of the country.

The senators urged the government to exercise more precaution in using war weapons, as it had been seen that the troops fired at long distance, not at close range as a response to immediate threats as the CRES had announced would be the case.  Those who were injured or killed were mostly shot in the head or chest. The government should focus on the tactic of encircling the protesters.

They agreed that the law must be enforced.  Those who violate the law must be brought to justice, but, in order to do so, the government must protect their lives, not shoot at them like this.

‘Is it the rule of law for the government to say that there are terrorists in there, and [therefore] live rounds can be used and it’s OK to have casualties?  The loss of life now is the result of the recklessness of the measures taken by the authorities.  I don’t understand why the PM who previously said that everything must be put into the process by 15 May, suddenly set a deadline for everything to end by 12 May. Some protesters are suspicious whether the government really wants reconciliation,’ Naruemon said, adding that the government and protesters should resume talks as soon as possible.

She felt sorry that the PM insisted on continuing with this approach, wondering how a person who was raised and educated in a model democratic country like the UK could accept such high casualties.

She raised doubts that if there were terrorists among the protesters as claimed by the CRES, why those who were injured and killed were only ordinary people, not soldiers.