Ice-thrower fails to hit Abhisit

CHIANG MAI : A bag of ice thrown by a protester failed to hit Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva as he visited a school on the last leg of his two-day election campaign in the North.


Caretaker Prime Minister and Democrat leader Abhisit Vejjajiva takes part in a northern-style sueb chata (life prolonging) ritual during an election campaign in Lamphun’s Pa Sang district. The prime minister has been given a pha yan (a piece of cloth with a mantra written on it) to ward off evil and danger. PATTANAPONG HIRUNARD

A protester threw the bag of ice at the prime minister's motorcade yesterday as he visited a school in Chiang Mai, where a group of red shirts turned out to meet him.

The ice-thrower disappeared into the crowd and police were unable to catch him.

Mr Abhisit visited Chiang Rai, Phayao, Lamphun and Chiang Mai during his two-day campaign stop amid tight security involving at least 500 police.

The ice attack took place at Mae Rim Witthaya School in Chiang Mai's Mae Rim district when Mr Abhisit's motorcade arrived.

A red shirt supporter is thought to have thrown the bag.

Signs of trouble were detected when a group of red shirt allies from the Rak Chiang Mai 51 group led by Kanyaphak Maneechak, better known as DJ Oam, turned up at the school before Mr Abhisit's arrival.

Security officials approached them and spent half an hour persuading them to leave.

Ms Kanyaphak agreed to leave but told authorities that relatives of red shirt victims killed during last year's riots might show up to demand justice.

At the school, Mr Abhisit said he was counting on the support of northern people in the July 3 election.

"I hope northern voters will continue to support the Democrat Party as they did in the last poll," he said.

He said the Democrats would continue to promote public participation in solving people's problems, and press on with public welfare schemes.

The policy of issuing community land title deeds to the landless poor would also push forward under a re-elected Democrat government. Community title deeds were introduced as a mechanism to deal with land disputes, especially for communities in protected forest areas and occupying public land.

The government would also promote policies on national reconciliation, as long as they did not open the way for fresh conflicts.

Mr Abhisit said people were upset about the rising prices of consumer goods. He denied claims he was advised to attend a ritual to change his luck for the better after his visit to the North.

Earlier yesterday, Mr Abhisit took part in a sueb chata ceremony at Nong Nguek temple in Lamphun's Pa Sang district. The ceremony holds out the promise of prolonging one's life.

Source: Bangkok Post