3,000 police for Red, Yellow shirts rallies in Bangkok

Bangkok, May 29 (Xinhua-ANI): About 3,000 police will be deployed to secure law and order on Wednesday when the Yellow Shirts will rally against the government-backed reconciliation bill while the Red Shirts will take the street to support the bill, the national police chief Pol Gen Priewpan Damapong said Tuesday.

Metropolitan Police earlier planned to deploy some 600 police but after Pol Gen Priewpan had a meeting with other police heads today, the number was revised to 3,000.

The anti-Thaksin People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), better known as Yellow Shirt movement, will gather at Loyal Plaza in Bangkok before marching to the Parliament. They will also set up the stage to deliver speeches.

The pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), alias Red Shirts, will gather and set up a stage in front of the Parliament in order to show their support to the bill.

The police was directed to prevent both political camps from clashing with each other and ensure there will be no third parties to instigate violence during the gatherings.

The reconciliation bill is aimed at granting amnesty to all political offenders, including the ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the 2006 coup, and those behind the killing of 92 people in the bloody 2010 dispersion on the pro-Thaksin Red Shirt protesters. However, it has so far faced strong resistance from the opposition party, mainly Democrat Party, and the Yellow Shirt members. (Xinhua-ANI)