CityNews – On Monday, 3rd March, at Grand Warorot Hotel, Dr. Petchawat Wattanapangsirikun, leader of Chiang Mai 51 and minister of Social Development and Human Security (MSDHS), told reporters that he had no involvement in seceding northern Thailand and forming a new country (Lanna ADD) as the Bangkok PDRC claimed.
Dr. Petchawat said the medias mistakenly reported that he was a leader of the seceding movement because the Thai acronym for Lanna ADD (?.?) could be interpreted as Lanna PDR. (Lanna Assembly for the Defense of Democracy, not People’s Democratic Republic) The Lanna ADD’s main objective is to get voters to cast their votes on the February 2 election. Petchawat mentioned that he was not involved in Lanna ADD either.
“Since November 2013, the Bangkok PDRC talked about the possibility of Red Shirts gaining independence and forming their own country, there were many questions raised. Thailand cannot be separated because both sides (Red Shirts and PDRC) share the same culture, traditions, language and King. However, each can have separate governments pending three conditions:
1. Humans Rights are severely violated
2. Laws are applied and interpreted unfairly
3. There is no democracy under monarchy
If all three conditions met, it might lead to independent governments.” said Petchawat.
Prakiat Yanahan, attorney and legal consultant to Dr. Petchawat, said their legal teams were gathering witnesses, evidence and documents to file a lawsuit against those who accused Petchawat of treason.
Meanwhile, General Prayut Chanta-Ocha, the Royal Army Commander, ordered Lieutenant General Preecha Chanta-Ocha, Commander of 3rd Regional Army, to take legal action against the Lanna ADD because he thought they were actually the Lanna People’s Democratic Republic, which would be considered treason. The same morning, army representatives and a legal team went to the Chiang Mai Police station and the Mae Ping police station to file a police report.
The Lanna ADD explained to the press that their full name was Lanna Assembly for the Defence of Democracy, formed on December 28, 2013, with an objective to get people to use their right to vote and to support the February 2 election. They have no intention of treason or seceding a new territory.
They suggested that the army should check their facts in the future before proceeding with lawsuits.
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