Ordering opposition

The Nation has a report that is about the police increasing activities related to security. There’s a lot that is humdrum stuff, but a couple of paragraphs stand out in reporting an intensive, 15-day security sweep ordered by police chief Wichien Potposri. It is aimed, he says, at … ah… ahem… “police working harder and staying one step ahead of the attackers…”.

The police, whose normal work involves extorting money and arranging criminal activity [forgive our cynicism], have somehow managed to come up with a “list of 467 locations that are under close watch for possible terror attacks, including 164 under ‘special attention’. The list mostly names offices of the media, homes of important people and political figures on both the government and opposition side, train terminals and fuel depots.”

The Nation then helpfully adds that the “ranking of media premises on the list was based on their stance towards former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The Nation is 66th on the list while Thai Rath, Daily News, and Naew Na rank 153, 154 and 155, respectively.”

This more or less confirms that Wichean, appointed for his loyalties to palace, military and the Democrat Party, is targeting red shirts. It also seems that his intelligence comes from the politicized security arms of the military and the Department of Special Investigation.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva seems to agree. He takes seriously a “police report that five to six politicians were behind the bomb-related incidents…”. He “vowed to take action against anyone found involved and implicated by evidence.” Well, at least he seems to want some evidence….

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